


Of Breaking Cycles

by martianparadox



Category: Naruto
Genre: AFAB reader - Freeform, Clanship, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Mangekyou Sharingan, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Porn With Plot, Sharingan, Telekinesis, You Have Been Warned, and has a Dojutsu and then some, had to change it from mature to explicit w chapter 10 uwu, lots of spoilers if you don't know everything about the Akatsuki, reader becomes rogue, reader is in a clan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2020-10-11 09:14:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20543714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/martianparadox/pseuds/martianparadox
Summary: You fall to your knees and pant before a man you no longer believe to be gentle. "Neji," you croak, trying to reason with him, but he palms your stomach. The impact forces you backward and you gasp for air, letting the sun blind you.He stands above you with Hiashi's scowl. When he shakes his head, you feel your heart flutter, and limbs quiver with the breeze."You're awfully pathetic, you know," he crouches down. Further blinded by tears, you painfully unhinge your jaw. But even with impaired vision, you can tell he shook his head again."So for the first time in your life, just listen: if nobody else will," he begins, and you feel the the familiar coolness of a knife upon your neck. "Then I will be the one that cuts you down."





	1. Add Water

_When you were about five years old, you moved away from all of your friends to the muggiest place on earth. Kirigankure. You didn't even know how to pronounce it! Kye-rye? Ker-rih? How do the adults manage?_

_Your parents packed all of your valuables, and you rode on horseback with your Uncle Ikari. He knew how to ride, and borrowed them from a friend. He came with to drop you off; for extra protection; and so that he could walk the horses all the way back to his nameless friend's ranch. It would be wrong to steal three horses, after all._

_He said goodbye and you cried when you and your parents left him at the village gates._

_"I'm sure your new teachers will love you just as much as Iruka, dear. It's nice here," said Mother. _

_You weren't old enough to know how afraid she actually was. You had been talking about how you'll miss Iruka sensei. How nobody could possibly as fun as he is._

_"Nic_er,"_ corrected Father, with a bitter tone. _

_He and grandpa had a big argument, he said about a month ago. That's why you all had to leave. So you squeezed his hand a little more, and he squeezed back in appreciation. It hurt pretty bad but you didn't show it._

_"Great shinobi come from this village, and I know you'll be amongst them." He continues and looks straight ahead. You feel pride well up in your little belly, not quite knowing how to describe the sensation, yet. _

_You can remember his black eyes rolling to their corners, just to smile at you. "I also know that you'd like it better than the Hidden Sand. _Right?"

_You had once gone with your mother (they needed your family's help to repair a fallen bridge-- or something like that). You remember those bees that hide in the sand and sting you when you dig them up. Even if you didn't mean to. You hated getting sand in your hair, your shoes, your mouth, your clothes. But it happened. And for the entire stay. You hated all the little bugs and snakes that hide in the sand so they can inject you with venom. And you strongly verbalized that hatred, for exactly two months after that business trip._

_So you vehemently nodded and held his hand tighter, so he looked to Mother with a smug expression. "See, mommy? She would have hated it. Right, sweety?"_

_"Yes," you cried, and he put his other hand on your head before you could tell them, and everyone in the vicinity, why. You walk with both of your parents' hands in yours, in between the two, wandering the lightly fogged business district. "_

_Will I see Hinata again?" You chirp. Even at the age of five, you preferred Neji's cousin over Neji himself. He didn't like your toys, he didn't smile, he never spoke unless spoken to. He was boring and smelled like all the other boys._

_You parents exchange a glance again. "We're working on that, baby, I'll let you know," Father smiles softly. _

_You frown. "So I can't even _see_ Hinata anymore, but I _still_ have to marry her stupid cousin?" Your dad almost laughed but your mother used her eyes to discourage him from doing so. _

_If you had the option, you would have married Hinata. Or Shisui. You were supposed to marry Shisui at first, anyway. He smelled better than Neji and was always nice to you. "Whatever happened to Shisui?" You demand. Both of your parents perk up. You haven't seen him since Grandfather first began to worry Father's ears off, so of _course_, you asked. _

_"I want Shisui."_

_"Oh, my God, you _remember_ him? You were so little. Our child must be a _genius_-!" you dad mutters in disbelief. Mother lets your hand go, flicks him on the shoulder, making him wince for a moment. When he pouts, she takes your hand in hers again._

_"First of all, Neji isn't _stupid,"_ she scolds you. You lower your head but listen, still. "Secondly. We don't have answers for any of your questions just yet." _

_Mother plays with your thumbnail. You hated when she did that because it felt gross. But you loved it, too, because she did it. And you loved her more than anything. _

_"We live a long way from them all, now." Her tyrian eyes threateningly flicker up to your father's and you watch his eyes widen in defense. "So let's get settled in before we worry about the Hyuuga and Uchiha families. Okay?" _

_You giggle because your dad seems very afraid right now. And that was always a rare occurrence, so it was always funny, too. _ _"Yeah," you say. "May I have miso soup, please?" You ask. Your favorite dish would definitely comfort you about not being able to comb Hinata's hair again._

_"If we can find some," your parents say at the same time, with matching nervous smiles._

* * *

You frown at your fiance from across the table. You hate arranged marriages. You officially _hate_ them.

Uncle Ikari gently says your name so you turn to him. "Why don't you play the piano for us, dear?"

You squint at Neji in response to your uncle's request. He stares back, neutral and stern per usual. You were enrolled in music lessons for almost your entire childhood; it's sort of a tradition in your family, like it or not. So you can play and read music pretty well.

This is the third dinner you had with Neji and his _boring_ uncle _this month _and you hate it. _Something _is going on.

"The one you played for Hinata the last time she was over."

You loudly scoot your chair back, _out of spite,_ and surprise all three of them.

"Be sure not to pick around at a work in progress," he sighs, sensing your angst.

When your back turns to Neji, you smile; you have no shame in practicing in front of guests. So you do it often, to Uncle Ikari's displeasure, because he's heard you play so many beautiful things. That's what he means when he says not to pick at the keys in front of people.

But you get in an idea on the way to the piano bench that squats in the corner of the otherwise barren living room. 

You sit down, comically crack your knuckles, and play Chopsticks. One of the first songs you ever figured out how to play.

Sternly, Ikari barks your name. "Don't be petty, child, _play--_ I'm so sorry, I've no clue what's possessed her." 

_Her._ You told him you favor being referred to with _them_ for no particular reason. Other than you simply favor it. And he respects your wishes. _Until Hiashi and Neji come over, and the both of you must impress them._ So you play Chopsticks in a higher key. Louder. The air warms up the angrier you get.

"I was there when _they_ played for Hinata," says Neji with intelligence, _did he just correct your uncle? _"and it was absolutely gorgeous."

Your fingers freeze at the compliment, holding down the last two keys you struck. The room's temperature reverts. "I can't imagine _why_ you're choosing to play Chopsticks of all things, but your skill still shows. Whether you want it to or not," he says with a projected voice. When you inhale, you notice how dry your tongue has gotten. He's talking to _you_, now. Correcting _your_ behavior, this time.

You can tell your uncle is surprised, but he laughs. "I completely agree, Neji," he says, "but I guess we're stuck with a child banging on a keyboard. Yet again." 

"They're still a child for sure," Neji sighs, and you can tell his lips speak into a mug of tea you brewed. _You_ brewed. In _your_ house. With _your_ mother and _your_ stuff. 

Hiashi whistles, _"your_ family, Ikari," he jests, and the other two men laugh. 

Now that you're _much _older, you understand why it's important to protect your clan with your every action-- including childbirth, eventually-- but, like. Do you _have_ to _breed_ with _Neji?_ Not that you're complaining; he's quite a handsome and kind pain in the ass. But you'll both be so _young _when you'll be wed. It isn't fair for either of you.

"How is your Hoseigan coming along, _Child?"_ Hiashi asks playfully. _Speak of the devil_. So you hum dramatically, shifting back into the dining room's doorway. 

"You've got some good news about that, don't you?" Your uncle piques up proudly.

"Don't patronize me~" you sing.

"Okay~" your uncle sings back. When you squint at him, you shift your eyes back to the head of the Hyuuga clan.

"Swimmingly," you over annunciate, leaning against the wood. "I ranked up the other day," you let him know, and Hiashi perks up. "Our bloodline really saved my squad's ass. So I'm a special jounin, now."

"A special jounin?" Neji quirks. "What do _you_ specialize in?"

"Catchin' shit," you grin, and his expression grows stale. His uncle turns to yours, and yours turns to you. His purple eyes narrow and you can feel the _lightest squeeze_ around your throat.

"Sorry," you excuse yourself. "I'm a tactician." The invisible force around your neck releases and your uncle smiles and turns back around.

You continue. "But yeah, man, spacial organization and deceit are my specialties," you wink at your fiance. Neji scoffs and rolls his eyes. You point to your right eye, the one that's iris is tinged magenta. Just like your mother's. "This helps with, you know, transit. And with making sure plans don't stray _too_ far off the road. I'm getting better at not letting my, uh, _emotions_ control my chakra better than I can."

"Don't be so cocky. I've bested you how many times, now?" Neji smirks, crossing his arms and legs gracefully. His eyes closed and you take it as a challenge. "All it takes to beat _you_ is a good enough distraction. That isn't hard." Hiashi's brows furrow, but you retort before he does.

"Is the germaphobe _really_ calling _me_ cocky? You ain't hot shit yourself, _pretty boy."_ His eyes snap open and your uncles look at you as if you're mad._ But you ignore them. _"All it takes to beat _you_ is a little _mud. _Unless you wanna prove me wrong?"

His eyes squint at this, and the air shifts with your boldness. You can sense the pressure your uncle's chakra exerts. Hell, you can see it, being a Hoseigan user.

You can only see half-and-half, though, because only one eye developed your kekkai gekkai. The other never manifested; you inherited your father's eyes. He does not posess a Dojutsu, so you're "watered down," as everyone in your family has explained. Only females can pass down the Hoseigan eyes. And you're the youngest person in your clan's branch that has a uterus.

There aren't many of you alive anymore, and you aren't don't heir any high position. So you don't get to pick who you marry.

And nobody's going to marry you to your _mother's nephew because it's the 21st century_ so you're stuck with Neji Hyuuga, a pawn chip of his clan's heirchy. Due to an ancient, common ancestor, all Dojutsu are variations of one another. Right? So this isn't all in vain, _right?_

Whether or not you and Neji will be miserable next decade, you can tell that your uncle is furious with you for calling Neji a pretty boy.

Neji 'tsk's. "Alright. You've convinced me. Bring it on," Neji closes his eyes again, with a cocky smirk of his own. Deeply sighing, he sits back. "Who's the referee?"

You cheese at Ikari and his eyes _glow_ fushia and you watch the aura of his firey chakra lick and reach toward you. Your right eye glows and you direct your chakra to smack his own as you pass it by. The air cracks and fizzles for a split second upon impact, and both Hyuugas look around the room, trying to find the source of the odd noise. Uncle puts up his hand to let them know that all is well.

"You don't have to high five me in secret, uncle, I know you have my back," you sing-song as you seat yourself at the table. "I thank you for reffing."

"That _wasn't_ going to be a high five," he grits, slapping the back of your head. You giggle and look up at Hiashi. His Byakugan is active. Ikari's aura receeds back into his body as does yours, like the wings of a ladybug. You know that Neji's uncle can guess that it was your auras that cracked the air, and he lets his lips curl upward.

To him, you aren't half bad after all these years. Hopefully your spar with Neji won't convince him otherwise.

Uncle Ikari can only hope that it doesn't. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You fight Neji, feeling sentimental, looking back at your very first challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JUST SO WE CLEAR:
> 
> The rest of this note contains more context? Not quite spoilers, just. I don't know if I expressed this clearly enough.  
Like. I've already implied everything in this note. However, it won't be *clearly* expressed until later. And I don't want my readers to be confused, so I'm putting this here.
> 
> Just so you know, entire paragraphs of italicized text represents the past. Ordinary text is what's happening in the present. 
> 
> I MADE UP THE HOSEIGAN SO HERE'S SOME MORE CONTEXT ABOUT IT:  
Your kekkai gekkai (the Hoseigan) connects the user's chakra to their nervous system. Because of this, the user's chakra is an extension of their brain, thus their body. This is great for chakra control; your family is basically full of telekinetic, ninjutsu prodigies. Learning and creating ninjutsu comes easy for you all. As does environmental manipulation-- you are after all, telekinetic.  
However, physiological changes effect your chakra, and your chakra can manipulate the environment. So you all have to be cautious. Not to mention, drastic strains on a Hoseigan user's chakra can cause an array of neurological symptoms: such as motor control issues, seizures, convulsions, and catotonic episodes. Sometimes the death of brain cells. So high key, the Hoseigan sucks as much as it rocks.
> 
> Which is why ur mom got mad asf when she heard you threw a girl into a wall on accident; you obviously pushed her with your chakra. Which means you didn't control the situation. Which means the little girl could have died. So yeah. Yikes.
> 
> ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN THE DISTANT PAST, AND IS VERY SUBTLY IMPLIED:  
1\. Your clan flourished in the Hidden Mist at first.  
2\. Eventually, Hidden Mist (canonically) had this policy that called for the execution of all clans that carry bloodlines. In case you didn't know. So yeah that happened for lots of other clans, and your own.  
3\. The main branch and a few other branches of your clan packed up and left for Konoha, before they were found and killed. Because Konoha is suspicious but friendlier toward outsiders, than other villages. So your family slowly but surely earns the Hokage's trust.  
4\. The Third Shinobi World War happens. (This is not mentioned in the chapter, but I'm saying it now, and it will be expressed later.)  
5\. Your Aunti Jackie abandons Konoha for unknown reasons.  
6\. Jackie went feral and tried to use her telekinetic powers to destroy the Hidden Leaf, also for unknown reasons. And because of her multiple attempts, she triggered massive earthquakes and suffered all kinds of neurological symptoms.  
7\. Uncle Ikari (the head of your clan) hunted her down and killed her weaked state. Everyone feared your clan from then on.  
8\. Your entire clan had to struggle to regain respect, honor, and trust from the village and Hokage; your older relatives used their Hoseigan to help repair damages. Younger shinobis of your clan vowed loyalty to the village. Your Uncle and parents are trying to marry you and your brother off to honorable spouses. All because "every action is political, and effects the clan's reputation as a whole." (This is implied not written anywhere, but it'll be clearer as the story progresses.)  
9\. Your generation doesn't know wtf to do now but listsen to the adults lmao
> 
> You'll find out more details later, this is just what is implied in this chapter. I don't know how clear it is in my writing, so I'm gonna leave this here. Just in case y'all get confused. Enjoy.

_A lot happened during your sixth year._

_Your brother was born, your parents divorced, you got into your first fight._

_"Konoha?" shrieked the shrill voice of another child your age. A girl. Everyone else fell silent at the mention of your home._

_Culturally speaking, picking fights wasn't a bad thing in Kirigankure. Neither was showing off conceited; you were supposed to do that. Because come graduation, intimidation is what eliminates competition the soonest. _

_But that didn't stop you from thinking picking fights was bad. _

_"Yeah, I'm from there," you said uneasily, listening to the room fizz and bubble with whispers. You sit at your desk and she sits at hers, you have to crook your neck to speak in her direction. "So what?"_

_"What did you come here for?"_

_"It's secret of my clan," you proudly claimed. Another child stood up._

_"Is that why your eye's purple?" That little boy who was missing half of his teeth pointed to one of his own. He seemed angry but you nodded anyway. "So, so you're in a clan. A real clan of a bunch of traitors. Aren't you?"_

_You didn't know that the Hidden Mist hated bloodline abilities. That historically speaking, anyone there born into a clan was killed, not even a century ago. You didn't know that members of your clan were killed en mass, not even a century ago. You didn't know that that's why there aren't many of you left; because your family had to leave the Hidden Mist for the Leaf. _

_And now, only you and your parents and newborn brother returned._

_And you didn't know that the stigma toward clans that carry bloodlines, lived on. _

_"You're dead!" cried the girl. "You'll be dead by sunset!"_

_"Are you going to kill me?" You asked, turning your entire body toward her. The room fell silent._

And in hindsight, you truly don't remember much else from that day.

You only remember shards of ice digging into your skin; a jutsu. Getting tired. Getting frustrated. Rolling on the floor with the girl, pulling each other's hair. You remember the little girl biting your ear, and you remember shoving her off. But not onto her back or a few inches away from you, but _into the goddamn wall across the schoolyard._ She was _unconscious_ and _bleeding at the mouth._

And then you remember all the tiny screams of dozens of baby shinobi, scattering about. You remember your teacher yanking you to the Mizukage's tower by the ear; you remember begging your teacher not to have you executed. She walked the two of you in _just to scare you,_ and used the front desk's phone to call both of your parents, explaining why you were _not_ to come back to school.

You remember Father walking you home by the elbow, with a passive tug. Wordlessly.

Now that you're older, you see that that's another reason you had to leave. The little girl didn't die, but you had sort of exposed you and your mother's lineage. Luckily, your father didn't have to leave with you. It would have made things between you and your mother even worse. 

He was barely associated with your mother anymore, by the time you had gotten expelled. 

But just for you, they tolerated each other that day. For one last family dinner. You look into Neji's eyes and smile, remembering how happy it made you to sit with your family.

_Mother cradled your brother, Shizu. It was as if he was the only thing keeping she and your dad from scowling at one another; she even held him in front of her stomach, oddly, as if to conceal a weak spot. You sat at a small round table with only two matching chairs, and the room stunk of dumplings and sweet potato._

_"Now," she said, "your auntie Jackie was just like you," she began affectionately. Auntie Jackie? Your father rolled his eyes for a split second before sighing, and your mother frowned a little. You frowned too; you hated seeing them upset each other so. _

_"Auntie Jackie?"_

_"Yes," your mother nodded gracefully. "She was smart and strong and funny like you. And she used our bloodline in combat." You didn't know that you had an auntie. "The Hoseigan," you felt pride in your belly again-- that's your bloodline. The Hoseigan. "Well. Us Hoseigan users all eventually take up one of two very different tendencies." Her voice cracked, and Shizu stirred. She seemed tired, but you were too young to notice. "Destruction and Growth." You smile, thinking that she was implying that your tendencies promote Growth. But she continued._

_"Growth means that you help your community. Your family. Others. Yourself. And you don't even plan to, you just... do these things." You smile wider. That sounded like everything you hoped to be._

_"It isn't good to be like Jackie, sport," your dad chimed in with sorrow, "don't smile just yet." _ _You made your lips form as straight of a line as you could. He rolled his eyes again. "Don't be goofy just yet, either." You giggled, and Mother cleared her throat._

_"Destruction is... it's when you hurt others." You frown; like how you did the little girl? "When you make things around you fall apart... without planning to."_

_You all go back to eating again. After some time, Father lifted his head, but Mother clicked her tongue before he spoke._

_"Your Uncle Ikari had to kill Jackie," she said suddenly. Father choked, Shizu whined, and you felt your stomach drop. "He had to. So please don't be like Jackie."_

_Uncle Ikari killed someone? Was she his sister?_

You smile wider at Neji and he flicks his hair gracefully, bowing to you. Ikari tells you two how he wants a clean fight and how neither of you is to in any way _actually _harm the other. How he doesn't want any funny jutsu or fancy weapons; taijutsu only. Which also meant nothing below the belt. (As if you're so sick of Neji that you'd hit him in the nuts. He isn't _that_ stuck up. Jeez.) Ikari poses a few times before stepping back to where Hiashi stands. When he claps, Neji takes his usual battle stance, as you take yours.

_"Why did he have to?" you inquired. You didn't even know you had an auntie. Did you have other cousins, too? Were they killed with her?_

_"Because she was going to use her Hoseigan to destroy the Hidden Mist, love, the urge was just in her. We don't know why," she explained and hearing her voice crack confused you. It must have confused Father as well, judging by how he hesitantly reached toward her, as if he was unsure that he had a right to soothe her. But she only held Shizu closer to her. "So we're doing everything we can to make things right again, dear."_

_You frown. You didn't want to kill people. To upset your parents. You didn't want Uncle Ikari to kill you, too. And you didn't want your brother to grow up hearing stories about how you tried to terrorize entire villages, either. "Why?" You asked again. _

_She shook her head. "She just left one day. And when she came back, she used her powers to wreak havoc."_

_You gulp. _

_Your mother sat up a little taller. "Every generation of our family goes through this; every generation seems to have someone who was simply meant to destroy. It's fate." She seemed bitter and your father asked her name like a question, but she shook her head again. "You need to know this. Break this cycle of destruction and growth. You are to either use your powers to lift very, very heavy things, or to kill people."_

_"Wh-"_

** _"Because it's too dangerous to use it for anything else, dammit!"_ **

You charge at Neji and he sidesteps you as expected. You lean into a summersault and rotate your entire body to face him, in a handstand. And man, it was as demanding as it sounds, but you kicked him in the gut. 

He (surprisedly) stumbles back, and you throw yourself to your feet before he can figure out how to advance. He throws a few relaxed fists at what are probably quite sensitive nerves, but you sidestep him. You drop to the ground to try to sweep him, but that failed, and he sharply tapped on the side of your knee.

_And now you can't feel your fucking leg. Of course,_ it isn't moving no matter how hard you try to move it, too._ Oh, shit._ You roll out of the way of a lower cut and twist to stand on one leg.

_**"No!** I mean why would I **kill** someone?"_

_Offended, your mother's mouth hangs open, and you knew you did something wrong. "You **ought** to lower your tone." So you stuffed your mouth with a sweety potato wedge and sucked on it._

You hop on one leg, and rapidly, away from Neji. He visibly relaxes. "When it comes to hand-to-hand, you kinda suck."

"How about you kinda, I dunno,_ immobilized my leg?"_ You struggle to find balance with only one working leg. He shakes his head with a beautiful smile that only could be his.

"How about _you need to come up with a strategy,_ _Tactician?"_ You uncle howls briefly with laughter and your face heats up. The young Hyuuga lunges at you and you deflect, but are knocked off-balance. But you're a fast thinker; you grab the back of his collar and his sleeve with either hand on your way down. He jabs at your side but you didn't feel anything, so you use your good leg to throw him over your head. And with success.

"My strategy is to wing it," you admit, "and I'm doing _great."_

You roll backward to straddle him, but struggle to sit up; you have to catch yourself from falling forward. There goes my back, too, You think.

_After minutes of silence, you finally look up from your food. "Dad?"_

_"Yes, beautiful?"_

_"Do you think I would murder someone?"_

_He rolled his eyes and shook his head in a way that gave you confidence in yourself. But his answer surprised you: "Not without a good reason, no."_

_That was not a 'no' at all._

_Your brows furrowed. "What's good reason?"_

_"I say," he chewed the food in his mouth and swallowed, "only if someone else is gonna kill you first. And only then, sport." You whimpered and frowned at your pot stickers. "It's a situation that every shinobi faces at some point. I'll be honest."_

Neji bridges his hips and you lift into the air, but you catch him in a headlock before he wriggles away. With no control of your back or leg, you can't properly sprawl. Not without giving him the upper hand. 

He tries to buck you off of him, and successfully flips the two of you over. Your back unsettles the dust on the ground, and his chest suffocates you, but you attach yourself to his neck like a koala. Feeling a little lightheaded, you tighten your grip around his neck. But then he jabs under your left arm and your right hand goes numb. Your entire left arm falls limp beside your head, and you use your right arm to swat away an incoming jab.

He's free. In one backward leap he's out of your reach. 

He pants and kneels at his safe distance away from you; he must have been close to tapping out. But of course Neji Hyuuga chose to trigger pressure points instead of submit. _Oh, that'd be a good joke._

"That's not how you're supposed to tap out, Neji. Open palm. Two light taps. Whatever happened to that?"

He thinks for a moment, and then chuckles; he gets it. "Oh, shut up and give in already. Or do we need to smother one another for another five minutes?"

"Nah. Let's choke each other some more," you say, propping yourself up on your right elbow, "I can take it. Unless you can't?" Your upperbody feels as floppy as a pancake.

_"Soren said that she'd kill me," you justified yourself for today's skirmish._

_"That was a petty fight and you're old enough to know it," your mother hissed. "So unless you want to kill someone, don't use your Hoseigan in combat. Stop making excuses."_

_"But she was fighting me with ice. I thought she meant it. I didn't mean to hurt her, ma, I'm sorry." Mother didn't look up from Shizu. She didn't even react. Father sniffed and scratched his nose, watching her let Shizu suck her fingertips. _

_His eyes were mismatched at birth, just like yours. One black, one dark purple. They were shaped like Mother's though, unlike yours. He was a beautiful baby, so you watched him instead, too._

Hiashi steps into your banter. "I don't think that _either_ of you should continue at this point. You're going to exhaust yourselves."

"I second that. Also, Neji wins," You uncle declares. Your fiance's lips proudly tug upward, and you groan at the setting sun. 


	3. Chapter 3

Hiashi was right; you didn’t realize how exhausted you were until you lied down before bed. In fact, you’re going to bed quite early, considering your normal sleeping habits— you’re just that tired. You aren’t sure if you regret not sparring with Neji a little longer, because you’d have slept even better and even longer if you were even more tired than you are right now. But nonetheless, it’s time to hit the hay.

A series of clumsy, irregular knocks and bangs on your bedroom door, pops _that_ bubble.

”Hi, Shizu,” you say without opening your eyes.

”You asleep?”

”...no?” You answer and you felt his weight shift on the mattress. He crawls toward you and drapes his body over yours obnoxiously, forming a cross, winding you. “What’s up?” you stutter, recovering your breath. 

“The Chunin exams are coming up.” Oh, that’s right. They are.

_Oh,_ how _old_ that makes you feel. He’s growing up.

“Nervous?” You open your eyes and stroke his hair. It’s as black as Father’s. He nods his head, making your hand move with it. He’s a very talented Genin, in a squad of other talented Genin, and you aren’t in the slightest bit worried for his performance. You’re just worried about Mist nin. And Sound nin. They notoriously _don’t play fair. _At least, that’s how it was when you were his age. You’re six years apart; things haven’t changed _that_ much.

_I wonder if I Tsunade will let me proctor? Just to keep an eye on them. Izumo and his What’s-His-Face partner did, disguised as Genin. I could pull it off, too, if I really wanted to._

“I’m worried about Loran,” he says. _Loran? Oh, that’s right. _Loran’s his little crush, you guessed a while back. He brings him up quite a bit. “He bruised his rib on our last mission. Shen-sensei had to take us home early.”

”Bruised his rib? Doing what?”

”He had on his binder. Shen patted his back and he started screaming,” Shizu said stiffly. Shen is known for her brute strength. 

Binders compress the ribs, chest tissue, and back-

_Ohh. Ouch. _“On a mission? That isn’t healthy.”

Shizu rolls over, onto his stomach, winding himself. “Yeah. I know why he _does_ _it_, I just wish he wouldn’t bind twenty-four seven.”

You hum. _Yeah. You aren’t supposed to do that at all. _He talked about Loran when they were still in school. He must really like him. “Talk to him about it. Oh-! Talk about how putting yourself in danger puts your comrades in danger, too. That’d scare him into binding safely.”

”I don’t want him to feel _guilty_,” he sticks his butt into the air and groans into your comforter. “I just want us all to make it out as Chunin.”

You’re glad that this wasn’t turning into a mortality crisis. But he’s certainly doubtful, so you know exactly who to bring up.

”You know Neji’s squad?”

”Tenten and... and the guy with the... hair?”

As conceited as Neji is, you hope that Shizu doesn’t repeat this to him.

”That’s them.” You sort of chuckle at his impression of Rock Lee. “They _just_ now became Chunin. And they’re almost my age.” Not that you’re more than one year older than Neji. But that’s a big difference to your baby brother. _One whole year?_ you can imagine him thinking, _Wow._

He doesn’t say anything, but you know that he wants to. “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself or your team to pass, okay? The Chunin exams are gruesome. Like. _Nobody_ passes their first try.”

”You did.”

He’s not wrong. “Only because,” you pause. Your team just _really _didn’t have a hard time. You all didn’t run into trouble, nobody tried to fuck with you, (and none of you got caught cheating on the written portion). “I dunno. We were just lucky. Not exceptional. That’s all.”

He didn’t seem convinced. “Is... do you have any advice? For me?”

You tell him about how there are traps. You tell him about how everybody cheats— you’re expected to— so come up with a strategy and don’t get caught. About how your teammate, Goon Aburame, got stuck in quicksand, and you accidentally blew off one of his toes, getting him out.

About how a_ctual._ _Deadly._ _Quicksand _along with other man-made structures litter the grounds, where you have to find a scroll, so _work. Together. And don’t use any kind of bomb to diffuse anything. _

And ‘by the way,’ how having a clean asshole goes a long way, so pack biodegradable baby wipes. 

You almost forgot to tell him not to accept food pills from anyone. Because _our brains can’t handle a sudden surge of energy, so our family has a special food pill recipe._ To _follow that recipe and don’t share with anyone else, because it wouldn’t work fast enough for anyone but us._

“But you didn’t hear anything but the food pill spiel from me, because I think it’d be illegal if you did. I dunno.”

He leans his forehead into your hand and your spread your fingers, and you realize how much you love him. How you would definitely kill someone for hurting this little boy.

”How’s your squad?” he asks you, changing the subject.

”We’re all Chunin— well. Kinda? We’ve got the authority of Chunin. But when it comes to tactics, I’m a Jonin.” You aren’t quite used to your new title. “Goon is still Goon; he sings at a bar every Friday, now. Uh. Lola got a new tattoo the other day. We have a mission on Monday, so I’m gonna enjoy my rest. Uh. Our sensei is escorting some politician back to his home village. I guess...hm. Not much.”

”How’d it go with Big Brother Neji?”

You cringe. “Please don’t call him that.” He laughed and you swat him over the back of his head.

You pray that if Hiashi _actually _gives you Neji’s hand, then Shizu can marry whoever the fuck he wants.

* * *

The next morning, Lola Matsuda threw pebbles at your window, waking you up. And you know that it’s Lola because only she’s too dramatic to knock at your front door. So you get out of bed and open your window. 

_“Bitch._ I’m _sleep.”_

”Bitch, we have a mission today.”

”Bitch, it’s not until Monday.”

”Bitch, today _is_ Monday.”

You frown and her eyes light up. “You fucking skank. You’re a skank, Lola, I hate you. I hate you _so_ much that I hate you. Get out of my fucking _yard_, you stupid bitch.”

She covers her mouth with both hands, muting her deep laugh. She looked ready for combat and travel. And beautiful. Her long, dark curls stream up into a ponytail, and fall down her left shoulder like water. She has on burgundy lipstick and you already know that she smells like soap. Per usual. Baggy pants, and a tight fitting shirt to flatter every curve of hers.

“Get out of your fucking _house,_ man, Simon is on his way here!”

Simon is Goon’s other name, the one he got when he was Affirmed. He responds to both. 

“I need to pack.”

She gawks at you. “We’re gonna be gone for like. Months. _Hurry.”_

_”I thought Tsunade said weeks?”_

_”We’re going to rescue a hostage in the Land of Rice, you dumbass. **Getting there takes a month**.”_

You could cry. But you turn around and Shizu’s infamous knock interrupts your thoughts. Based on a dull thud, you can guess that he threw his knee in with his fists as well. “Come in.”

”Can I help you pack? Or just watch.”

So he had been eavesdropping again. You taught him well.

And what a good learning opportunity for him! You aren’t sure if you’ll be here to help him prepare for the Chunin exams, given that you’ll be gone for _months. _And you don’t know if April or Zak, your cousins, will, either. They’re both either a Jonin or an Anbu and you have no idea how their schedules look.

You don’t know if your mother or Ikari will be _able_ to help him, given that it’s been so long since they threw in the towel. They both do construction, now. So you take it upon yourself to help prepare your brother to be the best ninja that he can.

It’s just sad that you don’t know if you’ll be there for him when he needs you.

But you’re here for him now. And he’s here for you, too. Hopefully he’ll take note of what you pack; of _how_ you pack. _Lightly._

“Of course you can help me. Could you go get me... actually? Go get me breakfast. I’m hungry as shit.”

He made you too much cereal and juice, and told you that toast would be ready any second. You thanked him and told him to get your forehead protector and first aid kit, while you packed clothes and ate. You did everything else as a team and were ready before Simon arrived.

When he arrived, Lola stopped him from knocking on your door, and threw more pebbles at your window instead. _Even though you could hear them both._

“I’m ready,” you slide your window open and say. “I’m ready.”

”We’ll catch you,” Goon Aburame holds out his lanky arms. He dawns earth tones and a beanie as always; the only thing he has on that’s appropriate for the weather are his sunglasses. “C’mon. Jump, Battle Buddy.”

Lola weaves her arms into his to form a basket. “Yeah. We aren’t trying to kill you at all. Definitely not.”

”Definitely not trying to break your _stupid fucking_ neck,” Simon sarcastically reassures. You smile and throw your bag of clothes and toiletries and bedding down at them. They undo the basket and frown simultaneously. “They’re trying to kill us, Lola,” Goon narrows his eyes behind his shades, “fuck _you_, bitch.” he says, pointing at you. “Fuck you.”

You laugh and turn to Shizu, who looks rather confused at your hateful words. He doesn’t understand the sarcastic dynamic. You gesture him over and grin, and when he shyly stands by your side, you wrap your arms around his shoulders. It’s been a while since they saw him last.

“Fuck you, losers. Wish my baby brother good luck on the Chunin exams.”

”Hey, hey, hey, who’s that handsome Genin? You’ve grown, man!” Goon folds his arms and smiles with genuine pride.

Lola squeals, “That’s my Shizu? You’re so big and strong! Look at you! Can I see some muscles?” 

Shizu blushes, but you know that he remembers them both. He was about nine years old when she last asked him to flex for her (he had a little crush on her, then), so he does it again, likely for old time’s sake. He’s shy about it, so you roll up his sleeve to his shoulder, and proudly pat his bicep.

”Look at this man! He’s gettin’ swole, ain’t he?”

_He’s actually getting strong as shit. What the fuck._

Okay, so, his biceps are as big as _your_ biceps, and you genuinely want to cry because your baby is growing up. You give his upper arm a squeeze and your teammates make surprised faces and gasps, too.

”Shit. You don’t _need_ luck with _those _things.” Lola holds up two thumbs. “But you’ve got us three cheerleaders routin’ for you from miles away, kiddo.”

”You absolutely do,” Goon crosses his arms, but not in a way that makes him seem closed off. That’s just his neutral posture.

You hope that Shizu and his team live and grow to be good friends, just like you have with your team. That they can go to one another’s homes unexpected and swear at each other without being rude. You want them to be _this_ close, to know each other _this_ well, so that they love and protect one another, as much as you do Lola and Goon. And as much as Lola and Goon do for you.

You smile and put up your hand dismissively, and they smile back. _You’ll be leaving soon._

So you shut your window and make your bed, so that it’s ready when you come back. (So that Mother doesn’t tear your ear off for not doing it.) Turning to your younger brother, you know that he’s going to cry, just like he always does when you leave for a mission. So you pull him into your arms and let him choke on phrases that deny his fear, let him cuss the swears he learned from you, promised to bring him something back. You held his hand, even though he _said_ that he’s too old for that, because he only squeezed your hand tighter.

You hug Mother goodbye, and Shizu holds your hand all the way to Konoha’s gates, escorting you there. Your baby. Sending you off with your squad.

With one final hug and seven paces, the heavy doors closed you and your teammate out of your village. You ask Goon to get his cicadas to let him know if anyone bothers Shizu on his way home. The Aburame happily obliges, and you three walk around Konoha’s massive walls; north.


	4. Chapter 4

You’ve no clue how long you’ve been walking, but you’re dog-tired and it’s dark. Luckily, fireflies glow around you like embers, shining your flesh and clothing and the greenery around you with gold. Goon tells you two about why he’s in so much trouble with his dad at the moment, and probably won’t be able to hang out with you guys until Christmastime.

“So _then_ my dad says _why were you touching you toes, boy?_ And—“ Goon holds his breath, so you and Lola watch him carefully. Because of his shades, you’ve no clue what he’s looking at; all you see is his left fist popping out a finger. A second. A third. That means that he senses _at_ _least_ three enemies _are nearby._

Then he sticks out only his thumb and holds it sideways.

That means _Formation Hitchhike._ A strategy to immobilize a small group of foes. He opens his shiny palm. _Scatter._

All three of you leap into position, and everything got dark and scary. You close your left eye and dart your right around, finding your team’s chakra signatures amongst the shadows. Lola charges herself up; her blue aura builds up behind her flesh and how _magnificent_ it is. You can’t find Goon anywhere, which is good; he has to mask his presence in order for this to work. 

Holding back a drowsy yawn, you dig out the right smoke bomb for this; the one that disorientated a target. Ikari showed you how to make these kinds. You’ll have to move fast to avoid getting caught up in the smoke; they’re potent, and they stain cloth and skin dark blue. You’re ready, and you whistle like a bird, signaling Lola.

You’ll know exactly who these chumps are for the next week, if you don’t kill them, or get to see their faces. So you’ll know that you’re being followed. You find four foreign chakra signatures in the distance; that has to be them.

Lola creates an uproar with some kind of genjutsu she invented, and the figures leap to the trees, cautiously making their way toward her. You hold the little blue capsule, your bomb, as far out in front of you as you can. When a swarm of deafening clicks and buzzes approaches you, you drop your little bomb. But it never hits the ground.

You know that Goon caught it; his bugs conceal his presence. But you _know_ he has it. You know to follow Lola’s lead from hear on, so you crouch. Ready to support her. Ready to cover her. The enemy is at _her_ mercy. Not yours.

And as soon as she performs her first hand seal, you _know_ she’s going to trap them. So you watch where her chakra flows next: into the earth. You direct your own chakra scatter around hers, and wait for the enemy to walk into her trap.

She finishes her hand seal succession, and jumps far, _far_ away as she can.

_Goon must have dropped off your bomb._

The second the enemy steps over her trap, a dome of hearth rises and traps them in, and you reinforce it with your will. Your chakra. You can _feel_ them beat against it from the inside, you can feel their fear, their confusion, their rage. One of them breached Lola’s dome, even— that’s why _you’re_ doing what you’re doing.

And then you feel your bomb release is smog inside of the dome.

It’s when they attack one another inside of the dome, when you let your energy return to your body.

Goon suddenly appears behind you. And you know that it’s him. 

“I say we keep them alive for interrogation.”

”All of them?”

”No. _Them._ The one that— you’ll see in the morning. I’m too tired to translate bug-to-human.” This piqued your interest.

”C’mon.”

He groans. “Fine. There’s one lightweight in there; I’m sure you can’t see past a veil of chakra, but _they_ fainted. Can’t be fought, can’t fight back.”

”So?”

He’s shaking his head. “My bugs say that they’re all killing each other in there. I’m glad you don’t have to witness it indirectly, but we’ll see if it's true in the morning.” Your heart sinks. “It’s sick. They’re talking about turning one another in for bounty money. Ugh. And they’re supposed to be a team?”

”I mean. If we were all bounties and you knew it, would _you_ turn in _our_ bodies?”

”Would I turn in Lola? Of course not.”

”...me?”

”Of course, sweetheart. It’s a dog eat dog— ow!” He grins when you swat him in the side and blocks one of your kicks. “Okay! Okay! I love you and I’m sorry and I would _never! You ass!_” He laughs and lifts you over his shoulder with ease. You laugh and scream and kick playfully as he leaps to the ground, and swiftly takes you to wherever he knows that Lola is.

Now _she_ has to be tired, with how thick that earthen dome of hers is.

"What about Lola?" You hear her but don't see her, being forced to look at the world from over Goon's shoulder. "Damn, you two are loud. I hope there aren't any reinforcements coming, or we'd be an easy target."

"I'm turning in our strategist for a bounty."

"Oh, _perfect_. I'm broke. Are we supposed to turn them in dead or alive?" Goon turns on his heel and you finally see Lola. She looks tired but amused.

"Guys!" 

"Mh. Probably dead, but I don't wanna carry a dead body around. Let's wait till we're almost there."

"Lead the way, Bug Man."

"Lola," you whine, "don't encourage him," you yawn. "Although I certainly don't mind being carried all the way to Rice Country." Goon shuffles and readjusts you. You never realized how tall he is, until now, seeing how much farther away you are from the ground.

"Me too. Let's take turns being bounties. Goon, you're carrying us both." You feel a mosquito (or something) on your forehead, but fight the urge to kill it. Out of respect for Goon's appreciation for bugs. (Plus, he can apparently _hear_ whenever a nearby bug is murdered, and then he seriously mourns its death.)

"Ok but whenever we set camp, _I'm_ not taking the first two night shifts," Goon shrugs, poking you in the hip, "_you_ and Thing 2 _are_."

* * *

You took the first shift while the others slept; then Lola, then Goon, and then you again, at witching hour. Or at least you think it's witching hour, because of how air the air feels. How uneasy you are. You must have had a bad dream that put you on edge. You must've forgotten it when Goon shook you awake, you conclude.

But then you _saw_ things. Like a gigantic winged blob in the sky, that looked like no animal. It casts a large shadow over the moon and was incredibly high up. So, repeatedly, you had to convince yourself that it wouldn't cast a light beam over you or your squad and abduct you all; teleport you to another planet for alien experimentation. No. That isn't real. But it _is,_ and it keeps going away then circling back. It never lands and it never stops, it just gets farther away, then comes closer. 

It retreats north-- where you all are heading-- once the sun begins to rise. You _hope_ it isn't real. You _hope_ it wasn't a UFO that surveys the very area you'll be in for the few days. 

At breakfast time, Lola stirs her can of beans. "So last night, did you guys see, uh,"

"The bird thing?"

"Yeah." Lola answer.

"Yeah." You answer.

Ok, so you're not crazy. "Ok, so I'm not crazy," Lola smiles. Funny, you were just thinking the same thing. "Do you think _it_ kidnapped the hostage?"

"I saw it land north from here," you say, "at sunrise." Gazing into the eyes (sunglasses) of your comrades, you can tell what they're thinking. "So should we follow it? What else do we know about the enemy?"

"All we know is they're a squad of bounty hunters, and they've captured a Leaf nin."

"Woah, woah. What Leaf nin?"

Lola and Goon looked at you like you were crazy. "You don't know? Were not you paying attention to Tsunade-" Goon smacks himself on the forehead. "That's right! You weren't with us at all with Tusnade! Hah. That's why you don't know." Lola smiles and her expression relaxes as well.

You nod, urging him on, looking back and forth between the two. 

"Yuu Kaneoya. Genin. Last seen in a black jumpsuit." You nod again, solemnly; you know them. They were in your graduating class. "So like. What do you think... it _is?_ I've seen _nothing_ like it." Goon scratches his head and leans back. 

"I dunno. Maybe its a summoned beast. If the foe can summon a beast that big for that long, do you think we're out of our league, here?"

"No." Standing, you stretch your arms out. "Tsunade isn't like that. The only reason we'd be misguided is because of our client; but we don't have a client, here. We're one of many search parties she handpicked." You turn away to yawn and look over your shoulder at your friends. "Simon, do you remember where Lola's dome was?"

"Oh. Yeah, you're right." He hurries to scarf down his rice and Lola does the same with her beans. "Right this way."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mission's mystery unravels.

To your shock, the only remains at the site was a flat, organic circle of blue powder, two yards in diameter, with three outlines of bodies. They protected the grass like stencils.

"That thing was a UFO," you say. "It has to be."

Smacking his lips, Simon frowns. "No. I don't sense a single trail." He turns to you. "Do you?"

You close your right eye and can only see black and white. No blue, no green, no orange remnants of energy. "No."

"Then I say the two are unrelated. Let's keep it moving." 

* * *

With each night, the UFO got closer and closer. Rather, you all got closer and closer to the UFO. It didn't take but two days of travel and rest to reach Rice Country borders on foot, because of how much and how far you all ran each day.

Having bathed and drank from natural flowing bodies of water, you all got sick to the stomach. Even with water filtering tablets, a bug somehow made its way into your systems. The air of this country feels different and the grass grows different, but you can't enjoy it for even a second. None of you can, hiding in a field of tall grass, unable to keep your breakfasts down. 

It took four hours of being miserable and uncomfortably drippy before you could sit upright. The sun is high and the day is young, but you still feel as if time is wasted. 

Sitting in a circle of pain and dehydration, you rub your temples before your teammates.

"I feel better, now, but guys, what do we d-" Lola's coughs interrupt her statement. She's sweaty and visibly paler.

"We shit and we vomit. It's all we can do for now." The anti diarrheals and PeptoBismol came right back up and onto the dirty ground. "We can't even walk quietly in this condition."

"I feel _much _better, I can go do something and then come back." Looking to Goon, you silently ask him for approval (since he's the unspoken leader).

"Do you have a plan?"

"Wing it."

"No. If you leave and get in trouble, we might not be able to get to you in time. Especially-" he belches, "not like this." The stakes are rising; it's been two days (even though Lola swore it would take months) and no word about Yuu has gotten to you all. Had they been found, someone would have came to report by now. They could be dead for all you know. Shit. They're definitely dead if they're wanted for a bounty. 

"Any news on the cicada grapevine?" 

"No. My cousin-- the Black Op-- just left Konoha and is headed this way. I warned him about the water. He says two of the other seven squads returned because of an aggressive stomach virus."

Your face twists up; _let's hope we don't get any worse, then. _"Can you sense them?"

After straightening up, Goon's head cocks. "No. I got nothing. Can you?"

"I've been trying to find a trail since we left. Nothing."

Blowing a puff of air from her lips like a horse, Lola plops back into the ground. "Are we out of our league, guys?"

"Maybe," Goon answers.

* * *

Having rested and slept during the day, you all felt energetic once the moon came out. 

"Don't know about you chumps, but I feel fully cured." Goon's much less solemn than he was this afternoon. Lola packs up her first aid kit and puts it back into her bag.

"I'm not a chump, I'm cured, too!" 

You giggle, "I'm good, too. Let's go crash a party." 

"Toh-" Goon freezes, and you close your ordinary eye, darting it about. You feel Simon put up his fist and the air grows cold and silent. You're so still and stiff that your foot sinks into the soil a little, and you barely have the balls to shift it back. That is until you felt your other foot sink as well. 

"Get to higher grounds-" you sharply whisper.

"-No!" Goon harshly whispers back. "Do _not_ separate, you two-- I can't tell what these things are."

"Things?" You and Lola say at the same time. You look up and down and all around and see nothing; whoever it is must be masking themselves.

A sharp light emits from behind you and you look over your shoulder. 

A fireball.

_"RUN!"_

You look back to your team and to your pleasure, they're nowhere to be seen. You leap just in time before the flame set fire to the tall grass, and began to eat at the field. Adrenaline pumps through your body and you dart your eyes left to right then behind you, before you back yourself into a tree. _Shit. We don't have a plan._ You cast a series of hand seals and deeply inhale, feeling the air in your lungs turn to water. When you bring two fingers to your lips, you feel it heat up, but it doesn't burn you.

"Jumpy, huh?" 

You twirl around and spit without thinking-- but were still successful-- because whoever was hit with that scalding water _screams._ In all honestly, it could've been Goon or Lola; _that's _how frightened and on-edge you are. _That's_ how dark it is.

You kick them in the jaw and they stumble backward with a grunt. And suddenly, their haunched over figure is covered in a greenish cloud. _Their chakra was masked after all. _Dropping to the ground, you sweep beneath their legs and they whimper more, falling to the ground.

_Kay, so that was pathetic_. You're confident that you're not out of your league at all. _Okay_. 

With a shrug, you draw a knife from your boot, and press it to the other person's neck as a warning, but their skin churns like melted butter, and they turn into a puddle of water. _A clone._ You swivel around in time to barely block a swing to your head. The sky doesn't provide enough light to let you see two feet in front of your eyes. All you can make out are the arms and legs that jab at you at random. No chakra, no body, nothing but limbs that you can barely avoid. 

Eventually, they catch you off guard with a sucker punch to the eye, and then the stomach. This invites your nausea to return, and you lose your equilibrium.

"Did you like my poison?" Your attacker asks you. You belch and double over, fighting the urge to hack up bile. You jab with your knife in the dark but only cut through air. But cold, sharp metal presses into your throat. "I asked you a question."

"What are you talking about?" With a sigh, you grit through your teeth, raising your hands in surrender. 

Whoever holds you hostage giggles. "I may have thrown my latest," they giggle, "_project_ into that re-eal big river down south. And don't worry; that stuff runs its course through the eco system in a week. It's soluble." How useless. _What is the purpose?_ "That stuff _also_ might kill ya in a week." 

That river flows into literally everything; it's the main water supply of every main village. It's used by traders all over the nation.

"You've poisoned civilians! What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?" 

The knife presses harder into your neck and you bite your tongue. "Nothing. I just know that _now_ you'll all want the antidote." _Get on with it. _"So I'll trade with ya." Their breath is hot against your ear and your breath is heavy. "_Aren't_ ya gonna ask what I'd like in exchange?"

You sigh again; _they're obnoxious._ "Sure. What do you want in return." You didn't really ask, you more said it monotonously. 

"A life for a life." 

_"You're killing hundreds of people. What do you want."_

"For you to crawl back to the hokage, tell her _your_ buddy's dead, and that I want _mine_ back."

"What?"

"Kaneoya Yuu is _dead, _n o w, i d i o t, w e d o n ' t h a v e a h o s t a g e a n y m o r e. _U n t i l n o w . "_


	6. Chapter 6

You wake up with cold hands laid on your bare stomach. Eyes crusted over, your limbs feel like lead, mouth putrid and dry, and your belly empty. Even your lips felt glued shut and arrid. When was the last time you opened them?

_Yuu is dead._

"Mmrh," you struggle to move your lips. The hands on your belly pulse warm for a second and then lift from your body. Two thin but calloused fingertips spread your top lip from your bottom, and you aren't sure if your horrible breath is torturing whoever did that or not. How embarrassing. 

"Is that better?" they ask gently. They sound familiar. "What did you say?" 

"I said, Yuu. And the water," you didn't realize how unused your voice is until now. You gasp, "

"Hah!" The voice cracks, but not out of sorrow. "Milady, my patient's awake! They're awake!" They cheer. There's a bustle about the room and you're awake enough to sense that somebody tall stands over you. It isn't the first person, though.

"Well done, Sakura!" That's Tsunade's voice.

_Wait. _

_Sakura._ That's why they sound so familiar. _That's one of Sasuke's goofy little friends. _

Your heart stings the exact second you think of Sasuke.

That said: _Sakura's in Tsunade's club of medical nin, now? Wow_. You vividly recall that she was 'too squeamish for anything,' and that Sasuke couldn't stand it. You wonder if she remembers you, too.

"Milady, they took Goon and poisoned the water, you have to let him go." For a moment, there was only silence. "Please."

"Slow down. Wait- didn't you say you wanted some water first?" Sakura inquires. 

_"No! Don't you touch that fucking water, you'll die, I swear to **God**, you'll all die-"_

"-Sakura, check their vitals, make sure the numbers are stable. Kyoya," _Oh, God, she doesn't believe it_. "Go get something to write with. _Now._" After the scrape of a chair on the floor, you wait a couple moments, before she quietly says: "tell us everything you can." _She believes it._

* * *

After your debriefing, Tsunade left, and then returned. Hours later. She let you know that she's relayed each important message within it to whoever needed to hear them most. Your mother was informed about your whereabouts, as well as Goon's and Lola's. Even Yuu's. Surrounding villages were sent warnings via messenger bird. She even sent her own animal companions to warn squads in the field of the water. You feel more at peace. 

By now, you could open both eyes. At first, tears rolled down the sides of your face the second your lids released them. But those have dried and you could move your hands to wipe the crust away. Looking around, you realized you're in an infirmary. With a cold, damp rag on your forehead, and an sugar water intravenously coursing through you.

Lola lies in a bed beside yours, separated by an opened privacy curtain. The whole room is set up this way; there are eight of you lie here, pale and clammy, each with a medical nin or nurse checking vitals, drawing blood, scanning their belly with a green light. All but you. But you guess that's because all but you are unconscious. The sun is setting and the window's blinds are closed, so that the room can be as well lit as possible. For the medical staff.

Tsunade closes your privacy curtain and sits in the chair beside your bed, facing you. You can barely turn your head, but you can see that she holds up two fingers. "Shibi Aburame has asked to see specifically you. Tomorrow." You stiffen up at _Aburame;_ Shibi is the head of the rather mysterious clan. "Are you alright with this?" The only thing he could be here to do, is to scold you for not having taken care of one of his nephews. One of his boys. _Oh, Goon..._

"Of course." You decide to let a mourning uncle mourn in whatever way he has to.

"Actually, you've got quite a lot of visitors to come tomorrow. A lot of people miss you." You can hear the smile in her voice. She puts down one finger. "But you need your rest. So before I get off your ass for good, do you remember _any _names?"

"Names?"

"The name of whoever told you about the water. The name of whoever Konoha took prisoner." You heart stops for a moment, and then sinks. 

"No," you begin to panic, "they didn't even tell me who they want to be freed," feeling your blood pressure rise, and the monitor attached to you beeps out of turn, "oh, God, what if we can't get to Goon in time? Tsunade, do you know of _anyone _from Rice Country?" _Please tell me you do, please tell me you do-_

_"Enough._ I told you to rest. Not to have an aneurism. Just relax. Goon will be just fine." She put down her other finger. "Can you move your arms?" You try and your hand falls limp. Fatigue waves over you like water. "Here," she says, and a piece cold metal rests in your hand, and you flinch. "Relax, relax," she hushes, "it's a bell. Ring it if you need anything."

"Thank you. Any more questions, milady?" you ask. 

"Do you have questions for me?" 

You smile. "No, milady. Goodnight." Your eyelids weigh themselves down, and you zoned out before you could hear her response.


	7. Chapter 7

When morning comes, your curtains have been opened up. A nurse comes in to draw your blood, and lets you know that you'll be moved out of ICU when there isn't so much bacteria in your blood. _Blood poisoning._ You can eat and use the bathroom on your own- not that you feel the urge to do either of those. What you hated was the sponge bath. You want to shower in _your _shower and _your _soap and _your_ _own_ _sponge_. But you will. Soon, hopefully. 

First came Mother, Ikari and Zak. They laid of bouquet of flowers by your side on the bed. April set out to rescue Goon last week, Uncle said. Not much really happened while you were gone. Your mother had a mini-breakdown when someone came to tell her you were in ICU. But now she sees you, and even though your veins are visible, she sees you're okay and is happy. As well as your cousin and uncle. They each left to go to work, and promised to be back tonight.

Then came Sakura on her lunch break, with some tea and her godawful baking. You two caught up, and kept saying, "Oh, my God, you're an adult now!" because you two forgot that the other person can age, and are no longer ten years old. She's still pretty weird, but not in the way that Sasuke described. You plan to go drink at her favorite bar sometime. Even though neither of you really drink; you learn that you both 'go to a bar just to go to a bar' on occasions.

Then came lunch, And then the jiinchurkiki. Naruto. To your surprise. 

"You're friends with Hinata, Neji and Sasuke, right?" he asks you. Slowly and uncertain. Probably to test and see if he struck a nerve. 

And he absolutely did, but you don't want him to know that. "Yeah. You know em, too?"

"Yeah. They're two of my closest friends, actually, y'know?" What a sweetheart. "Long time no see. Your friend is my other friend's cousin. Shino. Heard of him?" 

"Aburame? Yeah. Wow. What a small world." _Please don't be Shibi's son, please don't be Shibi's son, please don't be Shibi's son-_

"Well, Shino was just saying that ninja keep coming home sick because he wasn't a part of their squad." You laugh at that. "He's taking the Chuunin exam, now, with Hinata and Kiba."

You told him about the quicksand, during your exams. He told you about how _his_ exams were interrupted halfway, because of an emergency, so he and his squad had to wait till the following year. You talk about time flying and about how you two forgot the other person had the ability to age, too. It's weird how you stay frozen in a person's memory. And _he's_ weird, as well, but again, not as weird as Sasuke so _enthusiastically _described when you all were kids. 

Once he left, another nurse with a rolling tray came to draw your blood again. And Lola's. And everyone else's before leaving.

Then came someone who is definitely an Aburame; with a medical nin by their side. They carry a tray of many jars; of orange and red beetles, and a slice of lemon at the bottom of each. Ladybugs? 

He steps into your little area, and he and the nurse shut your privacy curtains. You gulp. 

"Hello," he says your name with an elegant stoicalness, "my name is Shibi Aburame." Yep. He's clad in earth tones, thick hair, sunglasses- there's no way in hell that he _isn't _related to Goon. Which means there's no way this will go smoothly. "My sister has to come a later day, but I'm here to thank you on her behalf, as well as my own." Oh, woah, what? "If not for you, they'd have never found my nephew; your teammate."

_"They found him?"_

Shibi nods. "He's alive. It's only a matter of time before he's home again." The nin beside him grins, as if waiting for a juicy detail. "Now, I'd like your permission before I do what's in my power to help _you_. Think of it as returning the favor, if you're uncomfortable with accepting help from a stranger."

_God, that was so awkwardly put!!! _You glance at the nurse, and then back to him. "What do you mean, sir?"

He fiddles with the collar that hides his mouth, before returning his hand to his pocket. "When my son was poisoned in combat, my insects were able to filter the venom from his system. When I heard multiple shinobi returned with severe blood poisoning, I offered my aid in research." 

Oh, God, he _radiates_ Aburame energy. Do they _all_ talk like this?

"It took a few days, but I bred my insects to become resistant to the harmful bodies present in each of your blood samples. The newest generations of insects have successfully cured all blood samples reserved for research, for the past two days." 

_"So we're all cured?"_ you look to the nurse. They grin and nod. "So is it a leech, or a mosquito-" A black, morphing swarm of bumpy skin grows from his neck, up to cover half of his jaw. "Uh, sir?"

That isn't skin.

"No. I don't breed leeches or mosquitos. These are nano-sized beetles." Shit. "Several thousand will squelch your blood at the same time." _Shit_. "And because you're conscious, your nurse thought informed consent would be polite, before I _brutishly_ barged in and sent millions of the beetles I use for combat, to attach themselves to your flesh, with no context whatsoever. Even if it's _literally_ your only chance of survival, and even if it'd be stupid to refuse." _That was a lil' sarcastic, there, sir._

And graphic. But he's right. "And I appreciate you greatly for that. Thank you." You take a deep breath, mentally preparing yourself to not smack at any of the microscopic bugs that will soon drink your blood. "Okay. Say no more and suckle away." 

* * *

When you wake up, you're surrounded by your privacy curtains, by bustle throughout the room, and by two nurses swarming over you. One holding up your feet with two pillows, the other splashing cold water on the back of your neck.

"What happened?" you say with newfound energy. 

"You're cured!" Says the one holding your legs. 

"And you fainted the second you got a glimpse of Mister Aburame's bugs," says the one splashing water.

Oh.

"But you're still cured! You'll be moved out of ICU once another room opens up." 

"Can you move?" You wiggle your fingers and toes. You wiggle your hips and lift your arms. You aren't tired or in pain; you're smiling. 

"Yes!" 

The nurses whoop and help you sit up, and you move to stand. You can tell that this gave them both mini heart-attacks, but when they see you can stand on your own, they relax. Your flowers and ladybugs rest on your bedside table, and you pick up the jar of ladybugs.

"Did Shibi leave, yet?" You ask without looking up, without dropping your smile.

"Yes. He and your mother exchanged contact info- she's just outside with a few others, whenever you're ready." You thank them and pull them into a big hug, and they hug you back before leaving. 

The moment you open your curtains is the moment you Lola throws yourself at you. "-and here they are!" She seems to have been in the middle of telling her family a story; everyone paying attention to her have the exact face as her. Except for a middle aged woman. Her mom. 

"Hi, family!" you grin, and all four of her baby sisters and her parents smile and wave back. You practically live at each other's house, so you jokingly call her parents mom and dad, just to get on their nerves. But it doesn't seem to bother them at all. "What are we talking about?"

"Mh! When you blew off Simon's _foot_ and tried to tape it back on."

"I blew of his _toe_ and I was eleven years old. Leave me alone about that," you say, laughing. "At least I didn't..." You can't think of any time she fucked up. 

"Yeah, I'm perfect. I know you're lost for words." You roll your eyes and try to rebuttal, but she beats you to it. "My brother in-law is right outside, why don't you go marry him, or something." 

Your heart hiccups. "Neji? He's outside?" 

"You agreed to me calling him my brother in-law!" She held out her hand. "Give me twin nephews. Now." 

You sort of roughhouse (but not really, because you both just woke up from what very well could have been comas) and make her little sisters laugh before you 'let her off easy.' You pass by multiple families and revived comrades and wave before you walk out of the infarmary, only to meet white, piercing eyes, brown hair, some vintage t-shirt, and sweatpants. 

"Hey," you say.

"Hey," Neji says back. He holds a bouquet of flowers in front of him, even though you're on opposite walls, and both of your uncles are on either side of him. "These are yours." 


	8. Chapter 8

"Are they? Did my _used_ to be my uncle's?" Your eyes shift to Ikari and he lifts up both of his hands as if he has no clue what you're talking about.

One of Neji's brows lift up, smacks his lips, and says your name. "I'm a grown man. Shame on you. I got these for you because... I just wanted to, honestly. But if you don't want them-"

"-no, no." You look up to Hiashi and he looks away before releasing a puff of amused laughter. "I'll take em off your hands."

Neji's face grows red. "They're _already_ yours to begin with! What are you even talking about?"

"I dunno. Aren't you supposed to be at the chuunin exams?"

He scoffs and looks at you down his nose. "I passed mine long time ago." You look back and forth between the three men before you, and a nurse rolls a cart in between you all. Merrily. _This is awkward._

"Can we go inside? This is super uncomfortable."

"When your mother comes back."

Ugh, you hate these men. You can't physically touch any of them in public without one of them throwing a conniption. It's weirding you out that you just recovered from what could have killed you and none of them say a word unless spoken to. Big time. 

You click your tongue, "I met Naruto today." 

Your uncles perk up. "Okay. How is he?" Neji asks.

"More fun than you three. Shit." You don't care about swearing in front of your uncles today. "Loosen up." Your uncle rolls his eyes and looks away. You know they don't mean harm but you can't help but feel annoyed.

Eventually your mother returns, and you all enter the infirmary. You guide them to your bed and close your privacy curtain, and that turns Ikari back into _your_ Uncle Ikari and hugs you. He picks you up into his arms and presses his cheek into your shoulder, and you could barely move your arms to hug him back. When he put you down, his eyes tinged red, and you barely turned before your mother does the exact same. _They are definitely siblings._

Hiashi throws a couple of punches your way and you deflect or dodge them. Then he ruffles your hair and pats your shoulder. _He's definitely related to Neji, that's for sure._

You invite your family and the Hyuugas to sit wherever is comfortable (the only seats available are the one bedside chair, and your bed). And of course Neji practically runs you over to sit in the chair, clenching your flowers in his fists. You tell them about the dome, the blue smokescreen Ikari taught you how to make, about being sick for two days. How scary and how awesome it was. That Goon should be home soon. That his uncle is the only reason you're as well as you are right now. And then you run out of things to say. "So what's going on with you guys?" 

Your mother examines the jar of bugs on your bedside table, and grimaces. "Oh, nothing. Shizu's taking his exams as we speak, I have to go cook, same as always. We heard about Shibi swinging by to heal you all. And I didn't think you'd be able to start a whole garden by the end of today, did you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've got enough bugs and flowers to cover the whole yard," she says, and you laugh. You all talk a little more before your family leaves. They'll be back tomorrow morning. Hiashi smiles in a way unique to him, says his farewells, and leaves, closing the curtain behind him. With a sigh, you turn around, thinking you know Neji well enough to predict his bougie little speech. But no. 

He set your flowers onto your bed and hugs you for a long time. When his shoulder tremble, you start rubbing circles into his strong back. "Neji, what's the matter? It's okay, it's okay," you hush him, and wrap your other arm around his shoulder. 

"Simple," he sniffs with a cracking voice, into the crook where your neck and shoulder meet. "I thought that you were gonna die, and you didn't die at all. Nothing is wrong at all. I'm actually really happy."

_He cares._

"My days of playing doctor are over." You pull away and guide him to sit on your bed, and sit beside him. "I'm never doing research of another medical condition in my life. _God,_ bacteremia is terrifying. It really is." You've never seen him like this, tears rolling down his reddened face, such a sad smile.

So you pull him back into a hug and smooth more circles into the back of his shirt, rocking him back and forth. And he snivels and cries into your chest, clenching onto the hips of your trousers. You don't think enough people comfort him when he cries. Not the way he needs. That's probably what makes him such a stick in the mud. 

_"I-I'm so happy to see you again,"_ he admits, muffled, and your heart melts.

"And I'm so happy to see you, too, Neji," you smile. "I really am." You rake your fingers through his hair and thank God that he trusts you like this.


	9. Chapter 9

Almost half a year later, you moved out, Shizu ranked up, and Mother adapted a new hairstyle.

This morning, Tsunade sent for you, and you were told to come to a specific room in her tower.

When you did, dozens of jounin fill the room. Two toil over a table full of what look like checker pieces. Others float around Tsunade's desk, and she's surrounded by papers, as usual. Shizune stands at her side, listening intently to whatever conversation, and the whole room bustles. You aren't sure where to go, let alone if you're at the correct location at the correct time. Everyone's in uniform but you, the hokage, and her apprentice- are you underdressed?

You get out of the doorway and stalk into a corner of the room, closest to the strangers that hover and argue over the tactical board. They practically kill each other over a blue chip and you would've stepped in if another jounin hadn't. _Now you're really afraid._

But they're talking about more offensive tactics.

"Why not just leapfrog? Have some planned escape routes in case we end up being overpowered. Keep pushing if we don't." The two look up at you. 

"Hm. I like that. We thought about leapfrogging, but we're trying to seal a certain individual, who was failed to be sealed in the past. We don't really know what we're working with, dove." _Retreat, retreat, retreat! _"You're the third tactician, aren't you?"

"Uh, I dunno, is there anyone else in here that's a tactician?" 

The two laugh. "I'm Hana. We'll be workin' closely with _everyone_ in this room, so get comfy."

"I'm Bo. I remember my first big mission, and honestly, there's no reason to be scared. I won't kill you unless you ask me nicely." _I thought the expression is 'I won't bite.'_

You smile, introduce yourself, and sit with the other tacticians. "Are we breaking into a building?" 

"No. That's a field in this context." _Oh. That's what that is. _"The goal is to keep him," Hana taps on a blue chip, "from getting in between us."

"Question:_ why _are we even trying to bother this man? Did he do something?"

"All over the continent, it's been reported that he uses mysterious, telekinetic powers to kidnap people. And then he eats them. Mostly babies."

_"What kind of sicko-"_

* * *

"What if:" Hana points at a chip, "Shikamaru Nara didn't _drain_ his chakra, but just kept his eyes closed with his jutsu?" 

"That sounds like a lot could go wrong, but also, a lot could go _right," _Bo chews on the idea, "because if he doesn't need chakra for energy, then Aburame and his squad would be in danger. Oh! What if they cover each other? Because if one's busy with Mister Baby Eater, then the other can cover range." 

This, coffee, and beer was your _life_ for almost twenty for hours. It was tedious and you're starving. You all present your strategy to Tsunade and she tells everyone in the room to come back tomorrow at sunrise. You decide to go home, get cute, and grab a bite to eat at that cute little ramen shack you practically lived in as a child.

A stranger in pajamas takes the seat farthest away from you when your food is served. You make sure to slurp as quietly as possible because you feel like you're exposing yourself through slurping. 

"Loud and proud; who cares? At least that's what I say," the stranger comments. 

"I mean, sure, but you never know if someone has sensitive hearing." 

"That's a very considerate take on things." They have a smooth voice and you feel calm in their presence.

"I guess." You tell them your name and ask why they're in pajamas.

"Kakashi. It's nighttime, and I am a very simple man: I'm going to bed as soon as I get home, so why get dressed? Early morning tomorrow. Why are _you_ dressed for a date at this hour?"

"I can go on a date with myself. I've got an early start tomorrow, too, doesn't mean I can't spoil myself." 

He barks laughter, "can't argue with that logic. Not when you look so lovely."

"Oh, first I'm overdressed, and now I'm lovely. What's next? Festive?"

The shop owner's daughter clears her throat, and you both turn to her. "We close in five minutes, guys, I gotta kick ya out soon. Sorry." You look at the bowl of soup you barely touched, then at Kakashi's bowl, and then at him. And neither of you can help but laugh at how silly you must look to the daughter and father.


	10. You fuck Kakashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You fuck Kakashi.
> 
> I had to make this a chapter, I had to do it, I had to. Had to.

You aren't sure how or why but you walking in circles with Kakashi, and you talk for an hour and a half about dogs, and how you each cook salmon so that it isn't dry. About nothing.

"So do you dye your hair?"

"Nope. Born with this color. What about yours?" You tell him if your hair is dyed or not. "I thought so," he smiles with his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You ask him. "That I thought right." "Shut up." "No, you."

You baby-talk each other up the stairs of his apartment complex, into his living room, straight to bed. Because there's _no way you're walking home alone on his watch. _"And I can't have you sleep on the couch; go ahead and take the bed."

"I guess you'll have to take the bed with me; it's your home. There's no way I'm letting you take the couch."

You aren't sure how you wrestled the clothes off one another, because the unit's too hot; too cold; too hot again. _The only solution is to _"Let me warm you up. I'm real good at it," you offer to the very sexy stranger. He shuffles to make himself comfortable, gripping your bucking hips tightly. You straddle his own, looking into his visible eye for permission. "That is if you'd like to do this."

He hums with amusement. "I do." He gingerly swipes the skin at your temple. "I've got to see for myself how right you are, after all. You seem awfully confident."

You kiss down his exposed neck, humping circles into his groin. With a sigh, he contently runs his hands from your hips up your arms to your shoulders and back down. Tingles ride up and down whatever flesh he touches and you suck right beneath his collarbone, feeling wetness pool between your spread legs. Against him. He growls and tries to move your hips lower that you sit on his cock, but you have other plans.

"Wait," you say, licking down to his nipple. He didn't really react so you venture farther down to his navel, which got him to stiffen. His hands glide over your skin until you lie in prone at the foot of the bed, and until they gently urge your shoulders downward. "I said wait."

"On who? Wanna invite some more people? I'm open-"

"Shut up, Kakashi," you coo running your own hands from his knees to his hipbones. Shuddering, he throws his head back when you let your breath graze his upright cock. He's huge.

"Whatever you say," he says huskily, his visible eye full of anticipation.

You sort of toy with it at first, to his pleasure, his torment. Without breaking eye contact, you spit on his cock and slowly stroke him with both hands; two different directions, paces, and grips. His torso twitches with every stroke of your left hand and you make sure to twist it back and forth. This got him to sit up on both elbows and watch wide-eyed. 

Kakashi groans and looks back and forth between your eyes and hands in almost disbelief. 

"I've got reason to be confident. Don't I, Kakashi?" You let your right head catch and release his head with every stroke, and speed up. He moans and his thighs clench. 

"Please, put your mouth on it," he almost whimpers, probably unable to register what you had said.

"You mean like this?" You wrap your lips around his head and _suck, _feeling your pussy throb as he groans. Tongue flicking back and forth, you can't help but smile, watching him turn to putty. _You want to taste him. You want to taste him badly._

One of his hands shoots to grab your wrist and he sits up a little higher. _"Move-!" _he grits to his teeth, but you release your right hand and use it to fondle his balls. Sliding your mouth to compensate its loss, you keep stroking with your left hand. Looking up at him with a challenge in your eyes. His grip tightens and his eye lolls back to his head. _"Please, I can't-"_

That is when you let him go all together, and he slowly returns to his senses. Slowly and panting.

You wait for his recovery, kneeling between his spread legs. Once it comes, you ask, "How's that for cock warming?" His eye narrows at you with a hint of playfulness.

"I'll show you cock warming, you horny thing, you."

* * *

If it weren't for his hands locking your thighs in place, flush against his abdomen, you'd spare the village your keening. Your whining. Your begs. 

_"Ka-Ka-Kashi- **fuck**\- wait, wait, wait, wait-** mmh-!"**_

It's almost as if his head beats into a water balloon with his every thrust; even if that balloon's popped and you lost count at two. Tears stream down your face and you struggle to breath, sliding your palms and nails down his arms, chest, neck, earlobes, sides- you don't know. Your eye's won't focus. 

Bending over you, he folds you in half without losing balance. Without slowing down. If anything, his weight further hilts his cock within your depths and you silently scream, letting your nails dig into his strong back.

"On who?" He asks, low and controlled into your ear. "On. What?" He repeats himself not having received a cohesive response. He pauses his hips after a while, and holds himself against your g-spot.

"On me!" you cry, "I'm gonna- uugh, fuckfuckfuckfuck-" you gasp as he starts up again, pumping in and out of you at a faster pace.

"Then come on. I'll w-ah, there you go," he sighs when your legs spasm uncontrollably. "I've got you, I've got you," he hushes and smooths circles into your ribcage with his thumb. Holding himself there. Your eyes roll so far back to your head and you can't see; all you feel is your cunt cumming on his dick, his breath, and your own moans fall from your lips with every spasm. 

He slides out of you and you feel empty, and roll onto your side. After a few moments, two warm hands nudge you onto your stomach, and you feel him straddle the back of your thighs. "Still haven't came yet?" You ask.

"Nope. Ready to call it quits?" 

"Nope," you lift your and chest off the bed. He repositions himself before diving back into you, reaching new depth and sensations. 

Your arms shake and knees buckle, and you're reduced to a moaning pile of flesh on the bed. He gets faster and you grip the sheets; the visual makes him moan.

"Have I hit a certain spot?" He slows but adds power to his thrusts. "Am I right there?" _God, yes._

"Mhm," you whimper, burying your face into his comforter. You half-squeal half-laugh when he firmly lifts your head up by the hair, to hear you better.

"Come again?"

"Mhm!"

"Use your words, please~"

"Yes! God, you- mmmmh- you're in my guts! _Shit! Just let me get back on my kn-"_ you snap your hand over your mouth to quiet a sudden scream. _"My knees." _

"Ok, c'mon," he encourages you, gently letting go of your hair. Your hands push up off the bed beside your underarms, and you helplessly try to push yourself up against his weight and thrust. He leans over you and pumps his cock into you so that your toes curls and mouth parts to scream again. _"Get up,"_ he challenges, right into your ear. He repositions himself that his hands rest on the small of your back, and his knees rest between your spread legs. 

_"Get. Up. C'mon."_

** _"Kakashi-!"_ **


	11. So you fucked Kakashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You fucked Kakashi. Past tense. 
> 
> You have a mission soon and decide to get to know friends and family even better. While you still can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should start labeling my chapters. I think I'll go back and label them.
> 
> "Kakashi needs to put his dick down!" Me, 2020.
> 
> Happy New Year!

You wake up to Kakashi's alarm clock, at about 9:30.

It's been at least three hours since the sun rose.

You think of being the last person to arrive at Tsunade's office; how embarrassing it is to make everyone wait for you. How furious the other tacticians might be. What if Baby Eater ate another baby? What if the mission started without you? What if you're fired?

"Kakashi!" You sit up suddenly, "I'm late! Hate to leave so soon but I really, really gotta go!" You try to leap out of bed but a firm grip on your wrist yanks you back to Kakashi's warm chest. _God,_ you wish you could stay.

"Come again? This time, slow down," he says groggily, running one hand down your arm. _You can't believe you let a grown man fuck you with a dweebish eyepatch and surgical mask. _If this happens again, you're ripping them off him.

"I'm late," you say. The silver-haired man frowns and lets go of your wrist.

But his lips raise into a half-smile. "Just how late?"

_"Hours."_

"Oh, _hours,"_ he playfully repeats after you, sitting up. "Okay. Need a change of clothes? Toothbrush? Breakfast? Shower?"

"I doubt I've got the time for half of that, Kakashi, but thank you."

He fans his breath as he yawns. "No thanks necessary. I had fun last night. We should meet up another time."

"Definitely." His gaze shifts over to his clock and his eye widens. "You're late too?"

_"Hours _late. Yikes."

* * *

You end up bidding your adieu after brushing your teeth and then sprinting to your own apartment. Half naked, covered in dried up sweat, wearing some of Kakashi's old clothes because you couldn't find your own in less than one minute. You fumble with the keys, barge in, wash up, change into what you hope is appropriate, and sprint all the way to Tsuande's. 

When you inform the front desk who you are and your business, you are led all the way up. Just like you were yesterday. As soon as you open Tsunade's door (you're so nervous that you forgot to knock), you regret everything you've done within the last twelve hours. _Everything. First person you see is Kakashi, in his pajamas again._ Second thing you notice is that half of yesterday's party was present. Third thing you notice is Tsunade in _her _pajamas. And then there's Bo, looking a little hung over.

Tsunade looks at you, looking a little hungover herself. "Thank you for coming so early," she blinks slowly, "but I think sunrise was a little too early for this occasion. You're free to hang around as the others trickle in," she waves her hand dismissively and puts her head down. _Lady Fifth!?_

"What's the occasion?" you ask.

"Debriefing," Kakashi answers to your horror. He smiles, even if more than half of his face is hidden, and you drop your thoroughly-packed bag to the ground. 

_Did I even have to be here?!_

* * *

"You fucked _who?" _Goon shrieks over telephone. 

"His name is Kakashi."

_"Hatake?"_

"I didn't catch his last name."

_"How are you gonna fuck someone before you ask for their last name?"_

"I'm horny and single, Goon, not looking to marry."

"Right, right, but then he showed up at your _meeting_ you say?" He cackles. "I don't know how you get into the situations that you do." 

_"Right? _Like I can't even have a one-night stand in peace!"

Goon hums. "I know of a Kakashi Hatake who's rivals with Neji's coach. And when I say rivals, I mean they fuck."

_"What?!"_

"Iruka, too."

_"Not_ _Iruka-sensei!"_ you cry, throwing an arm over your flushed face,_ "Kakashi needs to put his dick down!"_

_"You-"_ he stops to laugh, "You know what would be _hilarious?_ If _he_ coaches his _own_ squad, and we both already know _his_ students, too!"

"I mean imagine if Neji screwed _our_ old squa-" you can't even get through the entire sentence without laughing. If Neji screwed your squad's coach, you would roast the shit out of him for _years. _You and Goon talk for the next couple hours; he had a health complication since his rescue. Thick blood. Until it thins out (until he next donates) he isn't to do very stressful physical activities. Which means no B to S-ranks until he donates blood again. Wouldn't want to trigger another kind of complication. 

When you get off the phone, you scream into your pillow before taking inventory of your bag again. Pruning the optionals, double checking the mandatories. _You leave in three days._ The opponent is unusual so you think it's best to go visit family and friends. _Just in case._

You decide to bring your mother bok choy (because you know she'll never turn down a healthy, nice stock of the little plant) and she opens the door happily for you. You sit with your brother while she brings the vegetable to boil, and he tells you about his first two successful missions.

"... I don't believe I got to meet a real princess!" 

"We're cousins with a princess." You think of Hinata. "And we grew up with a different one." 

Shizu huffs, "I mean, yeah, but I mean, like, with bodyguards and a, a, a whole _estate_ to inherit."

"April and Hinata have bodyguards and estates, Shizu. You're literally like. The head of this clan in like. Fifty years, I'll give it." You pause. "Actually, mom, what happened to grandfather?" You never met him. Because if he's alive, then Ikari isn't the head of the clan at all. Just bossy.

"He," she held onto her vowel for a moment, "died. Right after we moved for the first time." _With dad._

"So then Ikari is head, right? We're not kissing his," you pause, "booty for no reason, are we?"

"Why are we talking about heirlooms, again?" She drains and scoops the boiled down leaves onto three plates with her holed spatula.

_Because I might die in three days. Any of us can drop dead at any time. I'm scared of this mission because they needed three tacticians to map it out for three different squads, to take out a telekinetic cannibal. _You wish your life didn't resemble a shit-storm, far-fetched fanficition some eighteen-year-old off the Internet knit together. Because that shit sounds ridiculous.

"I dunno," you lie. You want to ask about your father, but don't. "Wanna talk about Crazy Loom instead?"

Shizu sighs; Crazy Loom was the epitome of his emo phase. "Now what's a CrazyLoom?" your mothers asks. You smirk and remind her of the little devices your brother _begged _for years ago. How he'd wear rubber band bracelets up to both elbows and knees. Daily. For months. How every picture of him from that time is now blackmail material. And once you finish eating, she asks more than tells you: "If you'd like, you can spend the night." Shizu looks at you with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah." You smile and so does your brother. "I'll be back later, though, I wanna say hi to some people."

* * *

Sakura grabs you by both bare shoulders and you shiver beneath her tightened knuckles. "Don't lie to me: did you have sex with Kakashi-sensei?"

_"Sensei?!" Goon jinxed it! "How did you-"_

**"What?"** you hear on the other side of the room. You're in a hot spring; the one with the stupidly thin walls. _That's Naruto._

"I don't believe it. I don't believe it," she kept muttering to herself, putting her head down. Suddenly, she wades over to that dingy wall separating the male's from the female's room, and _slams_ her fist against it. You swear the entire building shakes. _"Stop listening in on us, you goblin." _

"So then you believe that I fucked..."

"Oh! Yes! He's very handsome. I _was," _she smacks the wall again and you hear whimpering from the other side, "going to ask you how it _went," _another smack and some chatter. "But we're not alone. _Who's all over there? I swear to got I'll tear this wall **down." **_

_Oh, shit. There's more than Naruto?_

"Hi, Sakura-chan." "Y-yo." "Uhm, I, uh. Hey." _Thank God you can only recognize Naruto's voice. _

Sakura smacks her lips. "Looks like we all had the same idea. You guys have to tour soon, too?" 

"Yeah," four voices answer glumly, including Naruto. 

Sakura hushes her voice. "We're going to have to finish this somewhere else, then. Those idiots hang out here until their meat _boils."_

_"Wait, _who is that?" asks someone through the wall. You don't know them. You look to Sakura for help and her eyes hold the same amused panic as yours. 

"None of your business," she gestures for you to get down and you do. You've never been to this spa before, so you assume she knows something about the architecture that you don't. "There's a hole in the wall," she mouths, pointing to her left. She wades leftward as well, probably to cover it. 

Wait. 

_"A hole in the wall? Why the fuck don't they fix it?"_

Naruto screeches your name. _**"You fucked Kakashi-sensei?!"**_

_He's his coach, too?! **"I**** have no idea what you're talking about!"**_

_ **"Yes the fuck you do!" ** _

_**"No! I don't! I so don't- I so do not know!" **_Sakura slams both hands over the discreet hole in the wall, holding back hysteric laughter. Just as a familiarly blue eye appears on its other side. 

_**"It is you!"**_

"Uh," your eyes get big and you look at Sakura. She makes a funny face and gestures for you to leave. And you do. And get changed. And wait for her outside. 

That is until a hand on your shoulder jolts your attention to the waking world. 

It's Naruto. Naked. Covered with a towel. _"You lie! You **so** did it!"_

_"Sakura!"_ you cry.

"She can't help you! So why won't you just talk to your old pal, Naruto? Huh?"

"Wrong person!" you cry, grinning.

You run. And wet, bare footfalls slap against pavement and soil behind you. 

_"I don't know what's so hard about admitting it! If it's done, it's done! Just admit it!" _By the grin that weaves between his pants, you know he's just fucking with you. A gust of air blows specks of dirt across your face. "Yeah," Naruto's voice is right beside you. "Just admit it!" 

You look behind you and see him. You look beside you and see him. A clone. You stop running and the clone dissipates, as the real Naruto barrels right toward you, grinning with his arms wide open. With his towel coming loose. You can't help but fall into a fit of giggles at his absurdity before you pivot left. You stomach feels giddy and you're so happy to be alive. 

So you play along and still try to get away. 


	12. Chapter 12

By now, the sky is orange, and Naruto caught you in his arms and held you against his bare chest. 

_"Naruto, you're **naked!"**_ This is so unnecessary!

"It's just you and me, now." He ignores what you said. "So what's the confession?" No matter how hard you struggle, he's just stronger than you. You're stuck between a damp, strong, and mildly hairy chest, and two strong and prickly arms. _Huh. He looks hairless but feels like a werewolf._ He's probably got towhead hairs. _Aw. **Snap out of it.**_

You defeatedly sigh. _"Fine. Yeah._ I slept with him. So what?"

For a moment, he was quiet, until he sort of whimpers: "That's my teacher, you sinner."

You look down, curious if his towel has dropped or not, and his flaccid penis rests against his thigh. It twitches. So it _did_ drop.

_"Naruto, you're naked in_ _th-"_ you slap a hand over your own mouth and look around, and the coast is clear. You direct your gaze forward and finish in a low growl,_ "middle of the village!" _

"Uh," he looks down, and over your shoulder and down to himself. You shut your eyes and he shifts your weight so that he doesn't drop you-- he's holding you midair so all you can do is your very best to not let your thigh touch his dick. "Huh. Actually, my place isn't far from here."

He obliviously pops your hip against his own and you curl your legs into your chest. At this point, he decides it's easiest to just carry you under the knees and below the back. But your right asscheek is _right by his dick_ so of course you're still squirming. But he's strong and worried about dropping you so he holds you snug against him. You promise to yell if- and only if- he pops a boner and you end up sitting on it.

"Hey, do you mind covering for me?" he asks, snapping you out of your overthinking. 

"What?" you imagine yourself and Naruto stalking the Hidden Leaf like the Penguins of Madagascar. He pops up up again, but this time you yelp and instinctively grab onto his shoulders._"N__o!" _You refuse to play Penguins of Madagascar with a naked near-stranger.

He sets you down, that you're in front of him, and your feet face the same direction. "Great! I owe ya, kid."

_Kid? "What? I sai-" you said 'no' to 'do you mind.' That's what you said._ "Naruto, just take my pants. Please. Just take them. My shirt is big enough to hide my underwear. You can give them back later."

Your eyes glance down at him again- _he's rather girthy-_ _dammit! _You avert your eyes again and crane yourself to look behind him. His body twists to follow your gaze, comically. "Bro_, where _is your towel?"You don't see the complimentary white cloth anywhere. 

"Uh, I was just following you. You sorta turned a lot of corners. Y'know? So _my_ guess is that it's," he points to over his shoulder, and then the other, and then straight ahead. "That way..? Who cares. My apartment is on the next block over."

"Oh." That's not bad at all! "Alright."

"Hope you don't try to fuck me, too, since we're headed to my place, _kid."_

You promise yourself to judo flip him if he calls you a kid again. "I make no promises." Before he can react- without looking at him- you point straight ahead of where you stand. "That way, right?"

"Straight ahead."

"Okay," and just as you look to your left, curtains are yanked closed from the other side of the window closest to you. "Nobody's looking," you let him know. He shamelessly walks past you, scratching under his left, shiny, buttock- _shit!-_ and you power walk past him to check the around the corner. Left, right, nobody. "Naruto-"

"-I'm right here-"

You yelp because he's right behind you. Placing a hand over your racing heart, you cover your eyes and do your best to convey a glare through your hand. "Personal_ space, _you_ beige _lunatic!"

He has a goofy sort of chuckle. "Beige lunatic," he repeats after you. "I'll have to use that one sometime."

You point with a straight arm to where you hope is the right direction. "Just_ get in your house!" _

The sun is setting and you know that Sakura probably went home by now. You decide to go home- back to your mother's- for the night.

* * *

The next morning, you wake up to the aroma of breakfast foods. Some kind of cake; some kind of meat; definitely eggs. You grog into the kitchen to find Shizu stuffing his face with boiled eggs, and to Mother bustling around. Two of the three plates on the table are piled with food.

"We made your favorite," he says with a full mouth. Hardboiled yolk crumbles from his lips.

You at the plate of boiled eggs, pancakes, and ham before him. "This is _your_ favorite."

"And _I_ made all of it," Mother chips in. You sit in the chair with the empty plate and dig into the mini-buffet. "So, whatcha gonna do today?" 

"Um. I might go pick up some things for work. Might call some friends. Might not."

"Can I come with you to go pick up some things for work?" Shizu asks expectantly.

"If mom says you can, yeah."

He turns to Mother and she flinches slightly before flipping a crepe. Probably burnt herself. "Yes, you _may_ go pick up some things for work," she smiles barely looking at you. She says your name, "no PDA." 

"PD-" you pause, "huh?"

"With that Nine Tails boy." _Naruto? _"He likes you. So when you see him today, remember to set an example for your brother." 

"Oh, yeah," Shizu said. "What _was _that about yesterday? You two were awfully loud running around." 

_Of course your mother and brother saw Naruto chase you around naked. Of course. _

* * *

"This or this?" you ask your brother, holding up a war fan in one hand, and a staff in another. You've been meaning to get back into using weapons in combat. For a long while, you dabbled with swords when you were younger, but lately, you've grown very fond of the idea of whacking the shit out of somebody's shins. 

"Whatever happened to claiming all the Swordsmen's swords?" That was a childhood dream of yours that he adopted as his own; to become a sword master and to surpass at least one of the Seven Deadly Swordsmen. Claim the unlucky bugger's weapon as your own.

You shrug. "It's still on my radar. How's this: If I ever meet any of the Swordsmen in real life, you'd be the first one to know it." You've made peace with the fact that encountering a Deadly Swordsman- and convincing one to even acknowledge you- is highly unlikely.

"Good. But you don't bring a _fan_ to a _sword fight."_ He's been fond of swords and knives and has used them in combat for the past five years, just about. He's very skilled.

"No. But you _do _bring a fan to church. Or to a grocery store. Or to sleepovers. Or on vacation." A staff wouldn't fit anywhere convenient and you're young and don't need anything to help you walk. A fan is probably the most discreet you'd get. 

"Pussy," Shizu hisses at you. "You're scared of cutting yourself on accident, I bet."

"Hypocrite," you hiss back with a smile. You put the staff back and then contemplate whether or not you need a new backpack. "Do _you_ need anything?" He thinks for a moment then shakes his head. You push him a little- just to be a bully- and head to the cashier. That's when you spot Naruto, and Naruto spots you at the same time. 

"Wow. He followed us in here. He really likes you," Shizu comments. You just ignore him and wave. He nearly trips over a tiny table covered in detergents, pomades, and metal polishes, so you decide to meet him halfway. Brother in tow. 

"I thought that it was you. What brings you here?" Naruto asks. 

"Running errands. You?"

"Oh, I saw you walk in and thought I'd say hi."

_"See?"_ Shizu hisses and you (gently) whack him in the side with your closed fan. His face scrunches and he whines, making you smirk. Naurto's head tilts at an awkward angle. 

"So who's Shorty?" 

_"Shorty-?"_

_"-this _is Shizu, my younger brother. How rude of me. Shizu, this is Naruto." You look at your brother and he's angrily pouting. You can tell he's ready to go home. Naruto holds out his hand and your little brother just frowns at him. You nudge him with his elbow this time, but he looks unamused. 

"I'm sick." He sarcastically coughs into the bend of his own elbow. This gets you to roll your eyes and hiss his name. "What? I am. Achoo. See?"

"Hey," Naruto snaps his fingers. "My mentor knows all about what teas to take for which symptoms, y'know. Maybe he could help you."

"Yeah, Shizu," you smile evilly, "maybe he could help you." The way you bare your teeth lets him know _we are not going home anytime soon._

"Maybe. He. Could." The way he bares his own tells you _I will exact my revenge. _

"Great! I'll wait for you guys to finish shopping, and then we'll be on our way to meet Pervy Sage." Now, you aren't sure if you want to bring your little brother around someone named Pervy Sage. "He may be an old fart, but he's great, and knows all kinds of cool stuff." You look at Shizu, but _now_ he looks interested. And now _you're _ready to go home, but you'll go along with it and force Shizu to take accountability for his lie. (Sounds like a goofy side quest in an RPG.)


	13. Chapter 13

"So what are your symptoms?"

Naruto cuts in: "sneezing and coughing."

"Yeah. Plus irritation and internal pain." 

"Hm. Where?"

Shizu pats himself over the heart and says lowly: "Here. Deep in here." 

"Your _heart? _At your age? That's no good. You should get to a hospital, stat, then."

"I don't think that's necessary, sir, I'll tough it out."

Okay, so your accountability lesson isn't working. 

"Look, sir," the man with long white hair glances up at you, _barely_ winks, then looks back to your brother. A pipe lazily slings between his lips, and he smells smokey, but he hasn't sucked from it since you all arrived at the little teahouse you're currently at.

"Oh, _no,"_ Naruto's mentor insists: "Heartaches are nothing to toy with. Say, I'm great friends with the Hokage. She'll have you better in no time. What'd'ya say?" _Holy shit, he's fucking with him, right back, too. _

Shizu's terrified of crossing Lady Tsunade (because he does it often) and his expression says it all. There's no way she'd buy the heartache act; she'd do an exam, see that he's fine, and then... probably nothing. Maybe she'll tell him to find a hobby or something. Shizu just holds her in high respects and really hates to bug her; and disturbing her for a petty game would probably bug her.

"Is, uh, there another way?"

"There is," Pervy Sage-

_"-What_ do I call you, sir?" You get that he's an actual sage. But you don't get why _you_ should call him _Pervy Sage_ in your own head. Master Pervert? Mister Perv? _Just no. _If he gets to know your name, you deserve to know his.

He looks up at you, surprised, and then grins. "Call me Jiriya, doll." He winks at you for real this time. Master Jiriya turns back to your brother and cautiously looks at him. "I've got one trick up my sleeve; only if you're _very _sure the pain is there. It isn't gas, it isn't hypochondria-" _he caught the bluff._

_"Of course _I'm sure. What's the trick?"

"Naruto." He speaks sweetly and clicks his tongue. "Do you mind fetching my bag for me?" Naruto easily waddles the heavy sack from against the wall closest to him, to Jiriya's side. "You're a peach." He shuffles around his sack. "Now: what I have will only work if you swallow it hole." _Jiriya wins the game._ He glances up at your brother, who sports a stale face. "Understand?" When Shizu nods, he smiles, and fishes out a terrarium that could fit in both of your hands. 

A newt. It's a little big, but green without spots, so you aren't worried about your brother ingesting amphibian poison.

"Ok, Shizu. Eat it," you say. You sit across from Naruto and beside Shizu; Shizu sits across from Jirya; Jirya beside Naruto. Your brother spitefully looks between you and Jiriya, and then the terrarium. He huffs through his nose and reaches for the little tank. Naruto clamps his hands over his own mouth and looks between your brother and Jiriya. But Jiriya smirks with folded arms and legs.

Eventually, Shizu breaks. _"I don't **believe** you all are this petty! Yeesh! I'm lying! Cut it out!" _

You sigh with relief as the tension at the table breaks. And your brother isn't too proud to reject swallowing a tiny lizard to keep up with a fib. You couldn't ask for more.

Naruto's head tilts at a perfect forty-five degrees, and his eyebrow arches. "You _were?"_

* * *

You end up staying for tea, and actually enjoy yourselves. Jiriya has been to lots of places you've never heard of, but now you have an entire checklist of sites to see, villages to visit, brushes to hike. A book on herbalism he'll let you borrow next time he sees you, he says. He writes his own book but _We aren't in right company to talk about it, _as he put it, gesturing to Shizu. You're glad that he's with you, in that spirit. 

He tells you about where he found that newt; that he'll release it in a day or so. He just felt like having a pet for a day or so, and knows enough about reptiles and amphibians to care for one. He's quite worldly. You tell him about all the salamanders at the bottoms of rivers back at home (home as in the Hidden Mist, not as in the Hidden Leaf).

"Now; stop me if I get too personal, but Dojutsu normally awaken in both eyes. It's just so _rare_ to see _siblings_ whose bloodlines only manifest in one eye. Does that change your vision?" He seems as though he'd like to ask more

You look at your brother and he looks back at you. You both like it when you get to brag about your seemingly magical eye(s). 

"This one sees full color," Shizu points to his brown eye, and then his purple. "And this one sees black and white until I activate it. With both eyes open, I see half and half."

"Same for me." Your lip twists. "But it sort of wakes itself up if you get excited enough. You've got to be careful with that." 

Shizu cringes. "Yeah. And _that _sucks but it takes a lot for me to get _that _riled up, anyway. Our parents used to have to teachers to have a bucket of iced water ready in case we got upset in class." 

Jiriya's and Naruto's eyebrows shoot up. "And _that_ snaps you out of it?"

"It's less of a trans and more of a," you pause. "You just loose control of your powers."

Shizu giggles. "When our mother gets upset, the furniture moves with her hands when she talks. She doesn't notice until it's too late, but that's why we have, like, _no_ furniture." Jiriya puts a hand on his chin and you think that you two have spoken enough about the Hoseigan. He looks a little more thoughtful than when you were talking about frogs and lizards. "I think cold water shocks you, and the shock throws everything off? I dunno, but it works." 

Jiriya snaps his finger and then says your mother's name. "That's who you two resemble. Does that ring a bell?"

"Yes, that's our mother." 

_"That's _why she sounds so familiar! I escorted her to a commission, once. She's incredible. I think she was carrying you at the time," he points to you. "She lifted, then collapsed, then lifted the same, massive bridge, in the same day. With just her mind! I couldn't believe it, at first. But I guess I have to, now, since her kids have the same ability."

"Aw, I still don't believe it. You mean the-?" Naruto points to one of his own eyes, and you nod. "Can _you _do that? Like you guys' mom."

"In theory. I'd imagine construction work takes practice."

"No, I mean, like. You can move things with your mind?" 

"Well, yeah."

"I'll believe it when I see it." 

Shizu closes his black eye, and the purple eye turns a darker shade_, _and the his cup of tea raises into the air with his eyebrows. His other eye opens and the purple one lightens up again. You'd scold him for playing with his food if he was three years younger. But he's getting big and old and you'd like to think this was an isolated incident.

Jiriya and Naruto stare at the cup for a couple seconds. 

Should you have let him done that? Not for the sake of etiquette, but for the safety of your family.

You know that Jiriya and Naruto both fully grown shinobi, but even there, your family had issues with the previous Hokage. And your family had to kiss his posse's asses to prove you wouldn't revolt. You only hope that Tsunade doesn't come fear your clan. That paranoia isolated your people from the rest of the village for generations, if you understand correctly. You hope that Jiriya doesn't choose to warn her about your powers.

"Ta-da," Shizu grins, 

"I believe it," Jiriya says wistfully. 

"Shizu, I think it's time for us to go," you say a little too quickly. All three males turn to look at you, questioning your tone. You turn to Jiriya, "thank you for having us. It's been a joy." You reach for your wallet, but Jiriya watches you, his gaze stiffening.

"No," he says, "it's my treat." It feels like he's trying to pick you apart with his eyes, trying to catch your motives. You don't know if it's out of concern or suspicion, so you smile as genuinely as you can right now. 

"Thank you. See you around, Naruto." 

He has that same glint in his eyes, that you can't tell if he's pitying you, or concerned, or afraid-

"Shizu, let's go."  


"But-"

_ "-Let's go." _


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ikari threatens your entire family. Neji asks you on a date. Hinata almost kills you with a tetherball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos pay rent, but comments fill bellies, and warm hearts :)
> 
> please leave comments and tell me why you *do* like this fic, why you *don't* like it, tell me your anime backstory; give me anything T-T writing is a conversation between author and audience! :3
> 
> one love.

_"You let him do **what **in front of **who?"**_

Your cousin Zak carefully glances back and forth between you and his father. "Father, I don't think-" 

Ikari slams his fist into your mother's dining room table, and you all flinch and fall silent. _"If_ I hear word of you around that _boy _again, or if you do _an _other thing to dishonor us- _any of you," _he points between you, Zak, and Shizu, "I will _ensure_ that you lose all privileges." 

This made Auntie, Mother and April all pique up. Until now, they seemed to have been tuning him out.

"So, what, you're gonna ground us?" Shizu asks with a tilted head. He took the words right out of your mouth.

Ikari chuckles. "No, son. A loss of privileges means that you can no longer service this _family_," Ikari says to your brother with a smile. "And if you can't service your own _family_, then how on earth could you be of use to your _village?"_

Zak's racoon-eye suntan distorts with his eyebrows. "Dad, you're starting to scare _me,_ now. You're not saying that you'll have us exiled, are we?"

"I am."

You, your brother, and your cousins all look at each other, wondering why your mother and auntie aren't saying a _god damned thing. _"So _no jinchurikis. No sharing any more secrets from now on. Or I will see that you **leave.** Am I understood?"_

_"Uh," _you raise your own hand, _"no_ because-"

_"-Hush,"_ he hisses at you before settling his gaze onto your brother. "Now, Shizu, _p__ray_ that Master Jiriya doesn't recommend Lady Tsunade to have you locked away for good measures." Everyone shifts at the same time and Shizu holds onto you, petrified, staring straight up at you.

"What?" He whispers, and then asks your name like a question. "Is Tsunade going to-?" he barely asks, and your heart breaks seeing the tears in his eyes, seeing him begin to hyperventilate. He clings to your shirt and you could hurt your uncle for saying that to him.

"She isn't like that," you say, holding Shizu to your chest and smoothing circles into his back. He whimpers more questions to you, and you know that he has tears in his eyes, but you'll have to answer him later. "You _know _she wouldn't do that, _Ikari_\- don't you _talk_ him like that, _asshole__." _

"Oh." Eyes fall onto you once you swear. "So she _wouldn't. _You're certain?"

You fumble for words, confused; she has the _power _to. In _theory _she could. But she's an excellent leader.

Although, you know that people with uncontrollable powers _are_ sealed away for safety reasons. But that's only if it's dangerous. _But it's__ possible to lose control of the Hoseigan. It's possible to destroy buildings with it, even; it's very dangerous. But can... "Stop messing with us!"_

"I'm not messing with you, I'm being realistic. So when you _lose_ him," he glances at your brother, and then back to you, "don't say I didn't warn you."

Panic shoots through your heart and anger fills your hands and chest. Chairs screech against the floorboards and bodies shift, but you couldn't care enough about who did what.

You break away from your brother momentarily to stand up and shout: _"Is that a threat?"_

"It's but a friendly warning, my dear," he says with a thin smile. 

_"You_ are _crazy. _Get_ out of my house," _you _yell _and point to the front door. It opens as if a breeze pushed it. Your Hoseigan is active, now; you're upset. 

* * *

_Bop!_

"So," Neji says, "let me get this straight. You want to learn Gentle Fist to-?"

_Bop!_

"Fight my uncle. He's stronger than me, I _think_. So the only way I'd win is if he couldn't move." 

"Er, I don't think that you can, uhm," _Bop! _"First of all. Praytell, _what _is your motive?"

_Bop! _"He threatened my brother. I don't care if we're related. He's gonna catch these hands." 

"What happened?" _Bop! _"If I may ask," Hinata says, hitting the tetherball to you. You hit it back- _bop!-_ and Neji watches you two play like you did when were kids. You're at the Hyuuga compound, visiting your fiance and friend. 

"Uh," you recall your uncle's threat and choose to hold your tongue. _Bop! Bop! "Real __shit? _Just know that I need to find a way to surprise him. He knows me like the back of his hand by now."

"Uh," _Bop! _"Is this a good idea, then?" Hinata stutters when you make eye contact with her. "If he knows you that well, he might already know what you're planning." For a moment she activates her Byakugan and looks in every direction. Then her eye focuses on the ball and she _hits _it at you. You barely dodge in time to avoid getting hit in the head. She covers her hand with both hands and apologizes. 

"You're good," you say, watching the tetherball wrap around the pole. "You win, actually." It's satisfying to watch the cord get shorter and shorter. "Are we alone?" 

"Yes," she answers softly. "Neji, what do you think?"

"I think you should just resolve whatever petty conflict is causing this. I'm sure it's not _so_ major that you _must _challenge the head of your clan in combat-? You're impossible." 

"No, _y__ou're_ not following," you say, "I think he might **set one of us up.** And I don't think anyone else is ballsy enough to fight him if he did." 

"The same uncle that smokes with _my _uncle?" Neji asks with narrowed eyes. "Why would he?" 

_"Would _he?" Hinata looks at you with furrowed brows. "I don't think I'm following, either. Start over again." She taps the tetherball once and the cord unravels. You switch places with Neji, and the cousins toss the ball back and forth. 

You tell him about Shizu and Naruto and Jiraiya. About this morning's chat about keeping the family safe. About his threats. If you fight him for his title and win, then April will take over. And April is more fit to lead than him. 

"Well, if he's willing to set up his own relatives, who's to say he wouldn't," Neji frowns suddenly and cuts himself off. _Bop! _"You're _sure _that _lives _are at stake here?" _They don't believe you. Of course they won't help you. _You decide to give up on trying to explain.

"You know what? You're right. It's all implied, anyway. No, I'm not sure. I'll keep out of it." Hinata and Neji glance at each other once, and then back at you, unamused. The cord wraps around the pole again. "What?" You press.

"Well _now_ you're just being passive aggressive."

You groan and excuse yourself. He's right. You're frustrated and need to take a walk before you take it out on others. You let the two know and they're understanding, even if they don't _really _understand what you're stressing over. You have to admit that you need to process this yourself. The two Hyuugas walk you out, and you start making your way to your apartment.

"Hey!" Neji calls after you. You stop walking to turn over him. 

"Why would you wait until I'm a block away to tell me something?" You yell back. "You dumb ass!" 

"I can't hear you, but are you busy today?" He's talking an awful lot for how far away you are from one another. But you can hear him alright.

"No!" 

"Still can't hear you, but let's do lunch before you leave!" He must be talking about tomorrow's mission. Ugh. Just thinking about it makes your stomach churn.

"Let's do it! But you're deaf!" 

_"What?" _

_"You! Are! Deaf!" _How hard can processing three words _be,_ Neji!?

_ **"What?"** _

You give him two thumbs-up; over your head, so that he sees that you accept his invite. His silhouette relaxes in the distance and he waves you goodbye, and so does Hinata, before they close the entry to their clan's compound.


End file.
